The Ambulance Paramedics Of BC (APBC) is asking for well-known, veteran mediator Vince Ready to be appointed in its contract negotiations with the province.

Talks between the two sides broke down before Christmas and the union says it needs Ready to sign on to mediate by the end of this week, before taking a vote on potential job action in early February.

As of Tuesday morning, no new bargaining talks have been scheduled.

Ian Tait, communication and social media director for APBC, tells 1130 NewsRadio that the union has reached agreements with its employers on several items, but better wages, benefits and mental supports still need to be ironed out for both paramedics and dispatchers.

“At this point, we’ve been offered less than some other public sector unions, and that obviously hasn’t sat well with us,” said Tait.

“We obviously have some flexibility and want to move forward and keep talking, but the government’s bargaining agent kind of made it clear that was their final offer and that just wasn’t acceptable for us.”

He explains that because it’s an essential service, any kind of job action wouldn’t mean a full-blown work stoppage, but a scaleback of operations around the province.

“The more we look at the realities of what a strike could mean in this province for our patients, the more we’re starting to realize that this could have profound implications on health care in B.C.,” explains Tait. “We are not that far apart, and that’s why we’re looking at appointing a mediator. We believe if we sat down with a mediator, and the government’s bargaining agent, that we could have this resolved in a few days. We don’t believe we’re a million miles apart.”

Tait isn’t sure everyone in the provincial government understands how critical the work union members do is — especially at a time when rural health services are sparse, and rolling ER closures continue to affect hospitals throughout the province.

“Even a one or two per cent change in our staffing could literally have profound effects on patient care. If you look at the trajectory we’re going in, and where we’re at with negotiations, we’re definitely moving towards there, and it’s looking like [job action is] going to happen sooner than that later.”

Tait is defiant that paramedics are not looking to strike.

“The fact is you cannot force paramedics to continue working overtime at the level they’re working. Even if a percentage of paramedics decide they don’t want to continue working on their days off… because of the pressures and workload, they’re going to take those breaks. That type of staffing level where there’s so much overtime, there’s so much extra work on your days off and holidays that if that gets changed at all, we’re very concerned about what could happen.”

He says a mental health crisis was declared within the ambulance service in the summer of 2025, adding that the inability to recruit staff to fill the staffing shortage is frustrating.

“Our members are suffering, and if it moves towards a strike, then it’s going to exponentially affect our members and their mental health.”

Tait says any type of job action will include picket lines, but the service will continue with a skeleton crew, more or less.

“We’re in such a precarious position that we don’t need a walkout to make a big impact. Even a minor change to how we do business or even a minor change to our staffing is going to have serious implications. We don’t want to strike. We will, but we don’t want it, and we will do anything we can to make sure the safety of our patients is put first.”

The union’s previous contract expired in March 2025.

B.C.’s paramedics union calls on veteran mediator to reach new contract