Paramedics in Simcoe and across the tri-county region launched a public campaign beginning Feb. 5, 2026, calling for a 30 per cent pay increase to bring paramedic salaries closer to those of police officers and firefighters. Frontline workers say the move is intended to address a staffing and retention crisis affecting Norfolk, Haldimand and Brant counties.
The campaign, branded REACH: Med 30%, aims to close a wage gap that union leaders say is pushing paramedics to leave for better-paying jobs in other regions or move into other emergency services. Unions involved in the campaign include OPSEU and CUPE; local union leaders have described pay and retention problems in media interviews and union statements.
Local residents and union leaders point to frequent ‘Level Zero’ or ‘Code Zero’ periods — times when all ambulances are committed and no crew is available to respond to new 911 calls — as evidence the system is strained. The Brant-Brantford Paramedic Services 2024 annual report shows heavy call volumes (34,406 potential patient-carrying calls in 2024, averaging roughly 94 calls per day); unions say those operational pressures contribute to regular Level Zero events in some zones.
The campaign includes a public petition and social-media mobilization aimed at pressuring municipal councils to reopen wage talks. Union organizers say municipal budgets are tight but warn that slow response times and ongoing staffing shortages pose a greater risk to community safety.
Municipal leaders and councils have signaled reluctance to approve large, across-the-board raises without additional provincial funding for land ambulance operations. Unions and municipal officials have pointed to the Land Ambulance Service Grant (LASG) as a key part of the funding equation — municipalities say LASG currently covers a portion of land ambulance costs, and they are seeking more provincial support to fund any major compensation increases. Paramedics and their unions say they will continue to push for pay parity to stabilize staffing and maintain emergency-response capacity.
