The City of Red Deer, Alberta, is asking for more time to decide whether to keep its integrated fire and ambulance service or switch to a private provider. Local officials say the current two-week deadline set by the province is not enough time to study how the change would affect residents.
The City of Red Deer has operated a municipal ambulance service through its fire department since 1962. On March 13, 2026, Alberta’s Emergency Health Services sent a letter stating that the city must decide by the end of March if it will move to a cheaper private model.
City administration is recommending that Mayor Cindy Jefferies join 17 other municipalities in asking the province for an extension until May 31, 2026. If the city decides to stop providing ambulance service, 70 local staff members could lose their jobs. This comes as the province prepares to award new ten-year ambulance contracts across Alberta by April 2027.
The firefighters association recently ratified a new three-year contract in February 2026 with 99.3 per cent approval. This agreement follows a year of discussions regarding staffing and overtime costs, which had reached more than $3.2 million in 2024.
