Peguis First Nation, surrounding Manitoba communities fear lack of funding could shut down ambulance service

Peguis First Nation and surrounding communities in Manitoba's Interlake have declared a state of emergency over lack of funding for their ambulance service, which they say is in danger of shutting down unless the province steps in with support.

The Fisher Ambulance Service covers an area of 14,000 people in the Interlake region, including Peguis, Fisher River and Kinonjeoshtegon First Nations, as well as the rural municipality of Fisher.

Since the last provincial funding agreement expired in 2019, Peguis has funded the service on its own, supplemented partially through billing, but now the First Nation says it can't keep going.

Without a new agreement to pay for ongoing services, and reimburse Peguis for past costs, the ambulance service could shut down completely by the end of the month, said Dr. John Neufeld, medical director for Fisher Ambulance Service.

"The community is not asking for anything other than what other communities in Manitoba get every single day," Neufeld said during a news conference on Friday organized by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, along with leaders from the three First Nations and the Assembly of First Nations.

"The service provides a very high level of care and it's the care that any other Manitoban would be getting under a standard sort of provincial ambulance service, but for whatever reason, our service hasn't received any sort of comprehensive funding agreement."

Fisher River Cree Nation Chief David Crate said First Nations people face disproportionately high rates of health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

"Our members want to have a good service that they can depend on, that is reliable. We need sustainable funding for the service so that we can provide that needed service," he said.

Stalled negotiations

The service operates three ambulances and one advanced care paramedic response unit, at an annual cost of $8 million.

The previous provincial funding agreement provided only $44,000 per year, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said in a news release announcing the state of emergency declaration.

Negotiations with the province and Shared Health have failed to produce a new agreement.

"Shared Health has demonstrated that it failed to work honourably in good faith with Peguis First Nation to negotiate the long-expired service purchase agreement for a new one, and to provide reimbursement for the services provided," said Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick.

In an emailed statement, a Shared Health spokesperson said the province has provided an analyst, as well as call data,cost-per-capita comparisons and other background material to help Fisher Ambulance Service develop a business case as part of its application for provincial funding.

The leaders at Friday's news conference said they fear what could happen without ambulance service in the region.

They offered their condolences to the victims of the Thursdaycrash near Carberry, Man.,that killed 15 people and sent 10 others to hospital.

"It makes me extraordinarily sad that it's possible that if something like that were to happen in Peguis, or the surrounding communities, and the funding for this ambulance service isn't straightened out, there may be nobody to respond to that type of an accident in those communities," Neufeld said.

Fisher Ambulance Service responds to nearly 300 calls per month, with response times under 30 minutes 85 per cent of the time, according to the news release.

Those response times have been hampered by the ongoing impacts of historic flooding that hit Peguis First Nation and surrounding areas last year, said Chief Stan Bird.

"We're currently in negotiations with the federal [government] and the province to improve and enhance the current conditions of the central highway that runs through our territory, our community," Bird said.

There are currently between 600 and 700 flood evacuees who have still not returned to the community.