Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services is looking for part-time paramedics to join the team this fall, with applications open now until July 24, 2026. Residents across Essex County, including Amherstburg, can apply directly through the County of Essex website.
The ambulance service, which runs 12 bases covering nearly 400,000 people in Essex County, Windsor, and Pelee Island, responds to more than 65,000 medical calls each year. One of those bases is right in Amherstburg, helping ensure quick response times for local residents.
This recruitment push comes as Essex-Windsor EMS deals with ongoing staffing pressures. Last fall, the service logged 1,481 hours of staff shortages over just two weeks, which made up more than 12 per cent of operations. The County of Essex had already approved eight new full-time paramedic positions in the 2026 budget, with those hires expected to start in June.
The recruitment also unfolds during a labour dispute. The union representing about 320 paramedics, CUPE Local 2974, voted unanimously in February 2026 to support a strike after their contract expired on March 31. Paramedics are asking for wages closer to what police and fire services earn, along with better mental health benefits. The Ontario Labour Relations Board held a hearing on June 22 to decide what ambulance service levels must be kept during any potential strike, and a decision is expected around mid-July.
Chief Justin Lammers has stressed the importance of adding more paramedics to keep ambulances on the road. The job posting is live now, and anyone interested can learn more or apply on the County of Essex paramedic recruitment page.
