The Government of Yukon has increased honoraria for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) community responders. As essential contributors to the Yukon EMS, community responders play a crucial role in delivering health care within their respective communities. These Yukoners, who volunteer their services, currently receive compensation in the form of an honorarium for their on-call availability.
Previously, the on-call honorarium was set at $3.71 per hour. Effective January 1, 2024, this rate has increased to $7.70 per hour, an increase of 107 per cent. Community responders also earn operational pay at a rate of up to $30.74 per hour for time spent in training or responding to EMS calls.
The honoraria increase was communicated to EMS staff and community responders during the monthly Community Operations meeting held on January 29, 2024. There are 90 to 120 active EMS community responders across the territory, depending on the time of year.
This increase will help bolster recruitment and retention of EMS community responders, aligning with the Government of Yukon's ongoing efforts to augment health care staff availability and coverage across communities. This will also help boost the delivery of quality health care to Yukoners and attract more health care professionals to live and work in the Yukon.
EMS personnel dedicate themselves to delivering prompt and exemplary emergency health care services throughout the Yukon. Their commitment is invaluable, and as community responders, they form an essential component of our health care system. In emergencies, they stand at the forefront, providing immediate assistance to individuals in critical need and we thank them for their ongoing dedication. The increase in their honoraria is a tangible expression of our gratitude for their unwavering service to all Yukoners.
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In 2023–24, the Government of Yukon budgeted $12.1M ($12,107,000) for EMS.
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EMS continues to recruit and increase the number of staff community responders in Whitehorse and in all communities.
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The Yukon’s Health Human Resources Strategy was released in December 2023 and maps out a plan to retain and recruit health care workers like the EMS community responders.
Renée Francoeur
Cabinet Communications
867-334-9194
renee.francoeur@yukon.ca
Ken Hegan
Communications, Health and Social Services
867-332-8321
ken.hegan@yukon.ca