A discussion paper outlining options to improve ambulance services was tabled today in the legislative assembly by Health Minister Benoît Bourque.

The paper will support a legislative committee tasked with reviewing ambulance services in New Brunswick.

“We remain focused on improving ambulance services throughout the province to ensure services are available to New Brunswickers when and where they are needed,” said Bourque. “In order to achieve our goal, all of the challenges and options should be put on the table to allow everyone to collaborate and find solutions.”

The paper includes 26 options related to resolving labour shortages, ensuring the provision of services in both official languages, improving response times and transfers, and strengthening governance and management of the ambulance system.

Bourque said that the document was not a position paper, but rather a collection of the options that had been put forward by various stakeholders, experts and interested parties in order to improve ambulance services in the province.

A motion was introduced in the legislature today to direct a legislative committee to engage in consultations and complete a review of the ambulance system by Dec. 15.

“The delivery of ambulance services is a highly complex issue,” said Bourque. “We hope that this paper can help the members of this legislative committee present some solutions to the issues we are facing both in the short and long terms.”