More funding for EMS staffing in Shaunavon was announced in the provincial budget, allowing them a second ambulance and 1.67 full-time equivalents (FTE) positions. 

Town Mayor, Kyle Bennett, said it’s exciting news not only for them, but for multiple communities in the southwest. 

“We've been advocating for this for quite some time,” he said. “Because anytime our ambulance leaves the community, it leaves us short, and then we're relying on Eastend and Frontier and Gull Lake to cover us. And then if there's a second call in our community, it leaves their community exposed to emergencies. I feel that the second car in Shaunavon does serve the whole southwest region because we're not leaving our other neighbours vulnerable.” 

He added that the Town has been communicating with Minister of Rural and Remote Health, Everett Hindley, to advocate for and address the issue for a while.

"Looking back in the records, it's been close to eight years since we've been identifying this as an issue for our region," Bennett stated. "It's good to see that we're making progress."

However, they face a new obstacle now: recruiting staff to fill the positions they have available.

Bennett said they are taking the process very seriously, trying to attract experienced folk to the area, and even considering training local residents, to secure the positions for a long time. 

"We have the ambulance, we have the funding, but now we need the people in the seats and boots on the ground."