RICHMOND — The union representing more than 6,000 ambulance paramedics and dispatchers in British Columbia says it has reached an agreement in principle on a new contract, avoiding the possibility of job action.

The Ambulance Paramedics of BC says the deal comes after “extensive negotiations” with the Health Employers Association of BC and the provincial government.

Earlier this month members voted 97 per cent in favour of strike action, putting them in a legal strike position once an essential services order was in place.

Instead, the union now says it will talk to members in person and online ahead of a vote to ratify the new deal.

Specifics of the deal have not been made public, but the union says in a statement that it was emphasizing the need for improvement to mental health supports, benefits, wages and training.

The union has previously said the ambulance service operates under significant staffing pressures and paramedics are deployed across the province to address long-term service gaps, particularly in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 21, 2026

The Canadian Press