The government is committing $6.5 million to a bursary program to reimburse paramedic and emergency medical technician students who train in New Brunswick.
The program will reimburse students who commit to a return-of-service contract with Ambulance New Brunswick.
"When New Brunswickers make an emergency call, they expect someone will respond in their time of need," said Health Minister John Dornan. "Today we are investing in the people who respond to emergency medical calls. The need is growing in New Brunswick, and that's why we're proactively working to ensure that there is a pipeline of trained professionals to help fill current and future vacancies in Ambulance New Brunswick."
Primary care paramedic and advanced care paramedic bursary recipients must sign a two-year return-of-service agreement while emergency medical technicians must sign a one-year agreement. The first half of the bursary will be paid when they begin working, and the second half will be paid upon completion of their return-of-service.
"We are very pleased that these rewarding careers in paramedicine are now more accessible than ever to New Brunswickers who are looking to make a positive impact in their communities," said Craig Dalton, CEO of Extra-Mural/Ambulance New Brunswick. "This important investment will help address one of our biggest challenges, paramedic staffing, and, in turn, will help increase access to services for patients and reduce pressure on current staff."
The government's talent recruitment division is providing bursaries to 75 students currently enrolled in primary care paramedic training programs. Bursaries will be available to up to another 166 students who begin their courses during the 2025-26 academic year.
The government will also fund bursaries for up to 32 students admitted to advanced care paramedic courses for the 2025-26 academic year (now through March 31, 2026).
Similarly, bursaries will be available for up to 39 graduates of emergency medical technician courses. Fourteen students are enrolled in an English-language course beginning later this month at Medavie HealthEd in Moncton. A French-language emergency medical technician course will be offered through Collège Communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick, with more information available online.
Several primary care paramedic training programs will begin in the coming months, including:
- an English-language program in Miramichi in August through Omni Life Support Training and Consulting
- three English-language programs in Moncton in August and September through Medavie HealthEd, Omni Life Support Training and Consulting and Oulton College
- a French-language program in Campbellton in September through Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick
- a French-language program in Edmundston in September through Medavie HealthEd
- a French-language program in Tracadie in September through Medavie HealthEd
