By John Boivin, Valley Voice, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

British Columbia’s emergency health workers are finding themselves in a pretty good place as they mark Paramedic Services Week in the province in 2023.

“It’s an exciting time to join BCEHS,” says Sara Thomas, the manager of clinical operations for Kootenay West. “With changes to the collective agreement, it’s creating quite a bit of excitement on the recruitment front – being able to offer living wages, more full-time and part-time jobs – is going to go a long way to recruiting and retaining paramedics on a local level.”