Montreal's Emergency Services Face Centralized Control
While much public attention has focused on the controversial Bill 2 affecting doctor compensation in Quebec, another significant piece of legislation is quietly moving forward that could fundamentally reshape emergency medical services in the Montreal region.
Bill 7, currently under consideration by the provincial government, would force the amalgamation of approximately a dozen government agencies, including the critical Urgences-santé service. If passed into law, this legislation would transfer control of paramedic services for both Montreal and Laval to Santé Québec, operating from Quebec City.
Emergency Responders Sound the Alarm
The potential consequences of this centralization have drawn strong criticism from emergency medical professionals. Hal Newman, a former paramedic and curator of The Last Ambulance website dedicated to emergency pre-hospital care stories, expressed grave concerns about the proposal.
"God help us," Newman stated during a recent appearance on The Corner Booth podcast with hosts Bill Brownstein and Aaron Rand. He used the platform to warn about the bill's potential impact on emergency care throughout the Montreal area.
Newman emphasized the geographical disconnect that would result from the proposed changes. "Emergency pre-hospital care for Montreal and Laval would be controlled out of Quebec City," he explained. "So the big problem is, does someone in Quebec City have an intimate knowledge of the issues facing Montreal? Can they make predictions on how to best serve our population?"
Cost Cutting Versus Local Expertise
The primary motivation behind Bill 7 appears to be financial efficiency. According to Newman, the legislation would generate one-time savings of $35 million by eliminating 212 positions across the affected agencies.
However, Newman questions the human cost of these savings, stating there's "a lack of appreciation, a total lack of respect, a total lack of understanding of the value of a paramedic and emergency medical dispatcher."
The former paramedic recommends that concerned Montreal residents contact their elected officials to voice opposition to the bill. "We can't afford to lose control of our own emergency pre-hospital care system," he urged, highlighting the potential risks of removing local oversight from critical emergency services.
The discussion occurred during the November 14, 2025 episode of The Corner Booth, recorded at the Snowdon Deli in Montreal and available through The Gazette's YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
