Paramedic service sees younger workforce as experienced staff leave
A recent City of Greater Sudbury report presented to council highlights a shift in the paramedic workforce toward less-experienced staff, with officials and union leaders warning that the trend could undermine mentorship and on-the-job leadership.
The report found that about 50 per cent of paramedics in the city have fewer than five years of experience, and roughly 20 per cent have been on the job for a year or less. It also documents a decline in advanced-care capacity: the number of advanced care paramedics dropped from 64 in 2024 to 57 in 2025, the largest single-year decrease in the period reviewed.
More leaving than being replaced
City data show there have been more departing employees than new hires every year since 2020. The report points to several factors driving departures, including competition from other ambulance services, offers with higher pay or lower call volumes, and the expansion of ORNGE’s Sudbury base, which has attracted local paramedics.
- About half of paramedics have under five years’ experience.
- Approximately 20% have one year or less on the job.
- Advanced care paramedics fell from 64 to 57 between 2024 and 2025.
"They need to invite workers to the table if they want to solve this crisis," said CUPE Local 4705 president Max Lafontaine, reflecting long-standing union concerns about retaining experienced staff.
CUPE Local 4705 represents approximately 200 Greater Sudbury paramedics and logistics staff. The union has repeatedly raised retention and staffing worries with the city.
City response and local context
Aaron Archibald, chief of Paramedic Services for the City of Greater Sudbury, described the situation as a "generational shift," saying that when experienced paramedics leave, the service loses mentors and leaders who help guide newer personnel. The report and officials flag burnout as a contributing factor.
Educators also weighed in. René Lapierre, a former paramedic who now teaches in Collège Boréal’s paramedic program and serves as a Greater Sudbury city councillor, said on-the-job learning from experienced colleagues is irreplaceable — an implicit warning about the limits of classroom training alone.
| Measure | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced care paramedics | 64 | 57 |
The city says it is pursuing recruitment and retention strategies, including wellness initiatives and tuition support for training. Those measures aim to address both the short-term staffing gap and the longer-term loss of institutional knowledge, but the report suggests the imbalance between departures and hires has persisted for several years.
For Sudbury residents, the report underscores potential operational impacts: fewer experienced paramedics can affect mentorship, on-scene leadership and the availability of advanced care. City council and emergency services managers will need to evaluate whether current measures are sufficient or if additional steps — including changes to compensation, scheduling, training pathways and retention incentives — are necessary to stabilise the service.
