Vancouver – With negotiations for a new collective agreement at an impasse, the Ambulance Paramedics of British Columbia (APBC), representing more than 6,000 ambulance paramedics and emergency dispatchers, will proceed with a strike vote in early February. APBC President Jason Jackson says the union met with the employer last week in an effort to advance negotiations and avoid any disruption to services. However, no positive progress was made, and the government’s offer continues to fall short of what APBC members need to support themselves and their families and protect their mental health and safety.
“Not only does the government’s offer fail to address the serious challenges we face, but it also doesn’t even live up to what other public sector workers have already been guaranteed,” said Jackson.
“Our members have stepped up time and time again to ensure patients across the province get the urgent care they need, but they are being stretched to their breaking point. It’s time for the BC government to recognize the desperate situation we’re in, and work with us to find solutions.”
BC’s ambulance service continues to operate under significant staffing pressures. Paramedics are deployed across the province to address long-term service gaps, particularly in rural, remote and Indigenous communities. Jackson says it’s vital that the government work with the union in this round of negotiations to find solutions, correct staffing levels, and return stability to the ambulance service.
The strike vote will open on February 2nd, 2026, and voting will take place electronically over a two-week period. Once an essential services order is in place, workers will be in a legal strike position.
“A strike is always a last resort, but the status quo of staffing shortages, burnout, and service disruptions isn’t an option either. Our members take their public safety role seriously,” Jackson said. “A strike is not something they want but we are prepared to stand up for the ambulance service British Columbians deserve and the health and safety of those we serve.”
