Ambulance Service Transition
The City of Spruce Grove is one of seven Alberta municipalities (known as the i7) that operates an integrated Fire-EMS model of emergency services. Firefighters are cross-trained as paramedics and vice versa, meaning any person responding to an emergency in a fire truck or in an ambulance is both a qualified firefighter and paramedic.
In March 2026, the City of Spruce Grove and the other i7 municipalities were advised by Emergency Health Services – Alberta (EHS-AB) of its intent to restructure the ground ambulance service agreement. The restructuring required the City of Spruce Grove to either absorb additional costs to maintain the integrated service, or transition ambulance operations to an alternate provider chosen by the Province. On May 11, 2026, City Council voted unanimously to reject a permanent taxpayer subsidy for this provincially funded service and begin the process of transitioning to provincially delivered ambulance service.
Timeline to date
March 13, 2026
The City of Spruce Grove was advised by EHS-AB of potential changes to the current ground ambulance service agreement. EHS-AB indicated it intended to restructure the funding terms, requiring the City to either absorb additional costs to maintain the service, or to transition ambulance operations to an alternate provider of the Province's choosing, as health care is a provincial responsibility. The Province set a deadline of March 31, which was then extended to May 31. See March 27 update.
May 11, 2026
After significant public input and discussion, City Council determined that Spruce Grove taxpayers should not be responsible for the ongoing subsidization of a service that is a provincial responsibility, and unanimously voted to begin the transition to a provincially delivered ambulance service effective October 1, 2026. See May 12 update.
June 22, 2026
The City received a letter from the Honourable Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services, advising that she had directed EHS-AB to halt its procurement for EMS operators and to work with the seven affected municipalities on a path forward. The Minister indicated she would invite the City to meet with EHS Alberta leadership and her department in the coming weeks. Unconfirmed public speculation questioned whether the halt in procurement might provide an opportunity for the City to work with the Province on negotiating a funding structure that would allow the City to keep the integrated Fire-EMS service, without requiring a permanent taxpayer subsidy of a provincially funded service. See June 23 update.
July 17, 2026
Mayor Jeff Acker and City Manager Dean Screpnek met with Minister LaGrange to discuss the transition and whether the Province's decision to halt EMS procurement provided an opportunity to negotiate an alternative funding model which would allow Spruce Grove to retain it's integrated Fire-EMS service without taxpayers being required to permanently subsidize the program. The Minister confirmed the Province is not prepared to negotiate a different funding model for Spruce Grove or any of the other affected municipalities. Therefore, Council's decision and the City’s plan to transition to provincially delivered ambulance service on October 1 remains in place. See July 17 update.
July 28, 2026
The City was informed by EHS-AB that the Province intends to bring in a third party to review the provincial costing benchmark for ground ambulance services - the same benchmark rate EHS-AB is requiring the City to meet in order to continue funding the integrated service. The Province told the City the third-party review will be complete by September 30, just one day before the City is set to begin the transition toward provincially delivered ambulance service. As that timeline will not provide the City adequate time to review the results of the costing review and fully understand any implications, the City requested and received an extension for the transition to November 1, 2026. See July 28 update.
Frequently asked questions
The Mayor and City Manager asked the Minister directly whether the Province's pause of its EMS procurement process opened the door to negotiating new funding or new contract terms for Spruce Grove’s integrated Fire-EMS service. The Minister confirmed that it does not. The Province is not changing its position on integrated Fire-EMS funding, and is not open to negotiations on funding levels.
It does not impact Spruce Grove. The pause impacts the Government of Alberta's procurement process for contracted ambulance operators and gives some communities a bit more time to budget and bring their costs in line with the Province's benchmarks for ambulance service elsewhere in Alberta. That requirement has not changed; no new provincial funding has been offered, and the pause has no impact on Spruce Grove's transition.
There is no new information that would warrant a reversal at this time. The Province has confirmed it will not negotiate on funding, will not provide new funding, and will not change its cost requirement. Reversing Council's decision would mean committing residents to an open-ended subsidy of a provincially funded service, with no long-term certainty, and on terms the Province could change at any time.
For several reasons:
- The subsidy amount is not a fixed number, and is not a one-time cost. Taxpayers will be responsible for an additional $1 million in year one, growing to roughly $1.5 million within five years and exceeding $2 million annually within a decade, with no certainty about future provincial funding.
- The Province has made no commitment to long-term financials, which means the cost requirement could change at any time.
- Ground ambulance has been a provincial responsibility since 2008. Council will not ask residents to pay a permanent and ever-growing subsidy for a provincial service they already pay for through their provincial taxes. Opening the door to local governments funding provincial health services would set a precedent with long-term consequences for Spruce Grove and for municipalities across Alberta.
Yes, they did. The City was initially given two weeks to decide, following the Province's March 13 letter; that deadline was pushed to March 31 after municipalities asked for an extension. Over the months that followed, Council and Administration reviewed the options, financial and operational analysis, and jurisdictional implications. Council heard the facts and heard directly from residents and from our Emergency Services personnel. It was a difficult decision, reached after full deliberation.
Yes. The Province has committed to maintaining current service levels, meaning Spruce Grove will be served by two fully staffed Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances based at the Spruce Grove Protective Services building, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The City will track those commitments, including reviewing public service level data, and will hold the Province accountable if they are not met.
No, EHS service is not new to the community. Nearly one in two calls attended by our ambulances are outside of Spruce Grove. When our ambulances are tied up on calls outside the city, residents are served by EHS ambulances. That happens regularly today.
Under the City's contract, EHS–Alberta is to provide its formal transition plan by July 31, 2026. When the City receives it, we will tell residents what it says and what it means. The City plans to transition to a provincially delivered ambulance service effective October 1, 2026.
However, following confirmation on July 28 that the Province is bringing in a third party to review the provincial costing benchmark, the City has requested and received an extension for the transition to November 1, 2026.
This web page is the source of the most accurate and up-to-date information.