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EVAQ, the Programme d'évacuations aéromédicales du Québec (Quebec's air medical evacuation program), evacuates about 2,600 people a year in emergencies, according to the Service aérien gouvernemental page on Québec.ca updated July 13, 2026. This program links remote regions to the hospitals of Quebec City and Montreal by hospital plane, shuttle flight and, since June 15, 2026, by helicopter. This text applies to women and men paramedics (primary care paramedics) and to everyone who works with the health system. For ground transport and its cost, see our page on ambulance cost. In an emergency, call 911.

What EVAQ is

The guide of Quebec's health ministry (updated July 31, 2025) describes EVAQ as a transport service between facilities. It is for people hospitalized in a remote region who need specialized care offered in Quebec City or Montreal. The program has existed for more than 40 years.

Official pages write ÉVAQ or EVAQ. The program reports to the CHU de Québec-Université Laval for the clinical side. The Service aérien gouvernemental, attached to the Ministère des Transports, runs the flight operations.

Hospital plane and shuttle flights

The program has two types of flights.

• The hospital plane, available at all times, with a physician on board
• Two multi-patient shuttles for non-urgent situations, each with two nursing resources

For a shuttle, the facility sends a transport request to EVAQ. When a ground transfer exceeds 250 kilometres, air transport is given priority if it is available, according to the ministry's guide.

The Service aérien gouvernemental page gives two figures. About 2,600 people benefit from evacuations each year. About 5,000 people use the shuttle. The same page counts about 40 pilots, about a dozen flight attendants and about a dozen flight regulators.

The helicopter since June 2026

A Government of Québec news release dated June 17, 2026 announces that helicopter missions began on June 15 in the Capitale-Nationale. The service covers regions located between 75 and 250 kilometres from the major centres, when the helicopter is faster than the ambulance.

The Service aérien gouvernemental page speaks of three Bell 412 helicopters spread over two bases. The news release states that the service first runs 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. Transfers are overseen by the Centre de coordination provincial des transports aéromédicaux (the provincial air medical transport coordination centre), with the treating team.

The ministry also published an addendum on parental accompaniment during helicopter medical transports. Its page shows a last modification on August 24, 2026.

The paramedic's role

None of the official pages read describes the work of the ground paramedic around an EVAQ flight. The ministry's guide deals with facilities, regulating physicians and on-board teams. For the duration of the transport between facilities, responsibility rests with EVAQ, according to that guide.

Who pays

The Québec.ca page on the cost of ambulance transport (updated August 20, 2024) states that, for a person transported between two facilities of the health and social services network, the cost is covered by the two facilities. That page does not mention air transport. No official page read gives a fee for an EVAQ flight. This text is not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Programme d'évacuations aéromédicales du Québec (EVAQ)?

It is a transport service between facilities, offered for more than 40 years to people hospitalized in a remote region. It reports to the CHU de Québec-Université Laval for the clinical side. The Service aérien gouvernemental runs the planes and helicopters.

What is a medical evacuation?

Québec.ca describes medical evacuations as air transports for urgent cases, by plane or helicopter. They are supplemented by scheduled shuttle flights that return stabilized patients to their region. In EVAQ, the departure and the arrival are health facilities.

Are ambulances free in Quebec?

No. According to Québec.ca, taking charge of a patient costs $125 and each kilometre travelled $1.75. The government pays the full amount in some cases, for example for a person transported between two facilities or for a person aged 65 or over with the approval of the responsible physician. The details are in our page on ambulance cost.

Who makes the transport request to EVAQ?

The pages read describe a request made by the health facility. For a shuttle, it sends a transport request to EVAQ. No page read describes a request made by an individual.

Where are the EVAQ helicopter bases?

A first base is near Jean-Lesage International Airport in Quebec City, since June 15, 2026. A second, at Mirabel Airport, is to enter service in fall 2026 according to the pages consulted.

How many people does EVAQ transport each year?

About 2,600 people benefit from evacuations each year and about 5,000 use the shuttle, according to the Service aérien gouvernemental page updated July 13, 2026.

Can a parent accompany a child transported by helicopter?

The ministry published an addendum to the Cadre de référence sur l'accompagnement parental for EVAQ's helicopter medical transports. It aims to meet families' expectations while ensuring everyone's safety. The specific rules are in that document.

Sources

• Services d'évacuations aéromédicales, Urgences guide, Quebec health ministry (msss.gouv.qc.ca), last updated July 31, 2025, consulted October 27, 2026
• Transports aériens d'évacuation sanitaire, Service aérien gouvernemental, Québec.ca, last updated July 13, 2026, consulted October 27, 2026
• Nouveau service de transport médical héliporté, Government of Québec news release, June 17, 2026, consulted October 27, 2026
• Accompagnement parental dans le cadre des transports médicaux héliportés, Quebec health ministry (msss.gouv.qc.ca), last modified August 24, 2026, consulted October 27, 2026
• Coût du transport en ambulance, Government of Québec, last updated August 20, 2024, consulted October 27, 2026

The ambulance fee in Quebec has been frozen since 1997: $125 for the pick-up and $1.75 per kilometre. According to the May 2025 report of the Auditor General of Québec, the share of the average cost of a transport paid by this fee fell from 36% to 13% in 2023-2024. The Government of Québec makes up the difference. What the person transported pays is detailed in our page on the ambulance price. This text applies to women and men paramedics alike, and paramedics never receive the bill. In an emergency, call 911.

The fee set in the ministerial order

The rates are set by section 5 of the ministerial order L-0.2, r. 2, up to date as of July 1, 2026 on LégisQuébec. There are three.

• $125 for taking charge of a patient
• $35 for taking charge of each additional patient
• $1.75 for each kilometre travelled by ambulance with the patient

The last text that amended this section is Order in Council 185-97. These rates apply to all of Quebec, to all paying agents and to all permit holders. The Québec.ca page on the cost of ambulance transport, last updated August 20, 2024, states that these fees may be indexed annually.

What $125 from 1997 is worth today

The Bank of Canada inflation calculator, consulted October 20, 2026, compares the consumer price index of September 1997 (90.6) with that of September 2026 (170.0). The increase is 87.64%.

These amounts come from the Bank of Canada tool. They are not fees proposed by the government.

Average cost of a transport: from $433 to $1,214

Figure 8 of the Auditor General's report compares two years.

The average bill has barely moved. The average cost, for its part, rose by $781 per transport, based on the two amounts in the figure.

For the 43 ambulance companies, fees brought in $85.2 million in 2023-2024. Of this amount, $18.7 million came from citizens and $66.5 million was paid mainly by the government, for users who qualify for free transport. The rest of their funding comes through contracts, as explained in our article on what ambulance companies cost.

More seniors eligible for free transport

The Auditor General notes that the government pays the full cost of transport in certain cases, for example for people aged 65 or over, social assistance recipients and transport between two hospitals. These main criteria for free transport date from the early 1990s.

From 1997 to 2024, the share of people aged 65 or over in Quebec's population rose from 12% to 21%. Their number went from 864,827 to 1,908,944.

A ministry analysis, no decision

The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), Quebec's health ministry, began analyses in the fall of 2024. The report gives one example: a pick-up fee of $150 instead of $125, with free transport at 70 instead of 65, would reduce government spending by about $18 million a year. No decision had been made by the end of the Auditor General's work.

Its recommendation 4 asks the ministry to finalize these analyses and to propose, where appropriate, the necessary adjustments. In its response reproduced in the report, the ministry writes that it will continue its analyses while taking into account the importance of accessibility for the population. Dessercom, an audited company, writes for its part that the uniform fee does not reflect the real cost of services and proposes a revision aligned with real costs.

No rate without transport

The order sets no rate for a trip without transport. Its three rates cover taking charge of a patient and the kilometres travelled with that patient. The Auditor General notes that in some cases, such as when the patient refuses transport, the patient is not transported.

No GST or QST on the bill

Revenu Québec's page Services de santé taxables ou non taxables (taxable or non-taxable health care services) lists ambulance services among the health care services on which GST and QST must not be collected.

At the federal level, section 4 of Part II of Schedule V of the Excise Tax Act exempts the supply of ambulance services by a person whose business is to provide such services. Air ambulance services are excluded and referred to Schedule VI, the schedule of zero-rated supplies. No ambulance bill therefore sends any tax to Ottawa. This text is neither tax advice nor legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What will the ambulance fee be in 2026?

The ministerial order, up to date as of July 1, 2026, keeps the 1997 rates: $125 for the pick-up and $1.75 per kilometre. The ministry has been analyzing the fees since the fall of 2024. No decision had been made by the end of the Auditor General's work, in May 2025.

What does an ambulance transport cost?

The average cost of services is $1,214 per transport in 2023-2024, according to the Auditor General. The average billing to the user is $154. The ministry and other sources pay the remaining $1,060.

What is the price of an ambulance trip?

For a person who lives in Canada, the trip costs $125 for the pick-up, plus $1.75 per kilometre travelled to the hospital, according to Québec.ca. An additional patient in the same ambulance costs $35. For a person who does not live in Canada, the pick-up is $400.

How do you calculate an ambulance transport?

You add the $125 pick-up and $1.75 for each kilometre travelled by ambulance with the patient, according to section 5 of the order. A 20-kilometre trip therefore comes to $125 plus $35, or $160. This calculation comes from the fee schedule, not from an actual bill.

How much does ambulance transport cost for a senior?

For a person aged 65 or over, Québec.ca states that the hospital pays, subject to approval by the physician in charge. The same page warns that an eligible person could have to pay if the transport is not considered medically necessary.

Does the RAMQ reimburse ambulance fees?

No. The RAMQ (Quebec's health insurance board) writes that it does not cover the cost of ambulance transport.

Is transport taxable?

Ambulance transport is not. Revenu Québec writes that GST and QST must not be collected on ambulance services. The Excise Tax Act exempts them in section 4 of Part II of its Schedule V.

Sources

• Services ambulanciers (Ambulance services), chapter 3 of the report of the Auditor General of Québec to the National Assembly for 2024-2025, May 2025, paragraphs 3, 95 and 121 to 127, figure 8, recommendation 4 and comments from the MSSS and Dessercom, consulted October 20, 2026
• Arrêté ministériel concernant la détermination des zones de services d'ambulance […] et des taux du transport par ambulance, chapter L-0.2, r. 2, section 5, LégisQuébec, up to date as of July 1, 2026
• Coût du transport en ambulance (Cost of ambulance transport), Government of Québec, last updated August 20, 2024, consulted October 20, 2026
• Feuille de calcul de l'inflation (Inflation calculator), Bank of Canada, CPI for September 1997 and September 2026, consulted October 20, 2026
• Services de santé taxables ou non taxables (Taxable or non-taxable health care services), Revenu Québec, consulted October 20, 2026
• Loi sur la taxe d'accise (Excise Tax Act), Schedule V, Part II, section 4, Department of Justice Canada, current to September 30, 2026
• Le transport en ambulance est-il un service couvert? (Is ambulance transport a covered service?), Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec, consulted October 20, 2026

The cost of ambulance companies in Quebec reached $640.8 million in 2023-2024, according to the May 2025 report of the Auditor General of Québec. These 43 companies provide ambulance services everywhere in Quebec except Montreal and Laval. The Auditor General concludes that the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), Quebec's health ministry, has no assurance that the amounts it pays them are reasonable. This text applies to women and men paramedics alike.

One billion dollars a year

Pre-hospital emergency services cost a little over $1 billion in 2023-2024, of which $978 million came from the Government of Québec. Table 1 of the report breaks down this spending.

The 43 companies are not all private. The report counts private companies, co-operatives, non-profit organizations, an association and a municipality. In Montreal and Laval, Urgences-santé runs the whole response chain.

Where the companies' money comes from

Of the $640.8 million, $555.6 million comes from contracts with the ministry and $85.2 million from user fees. Of those fees, $18.7 million comes from citizens. The remaining $66.5 million is paid mainly by the government, for users who qualify for free transport. The user fee is explained in our article on the cost of an ambulance.

A contract without competition

The ministry and Santé Québec sign a three-year service contract with each permit holder. In practice, a standard contract is negotiated as a single block with the representatives of the four ambulance company associations.

The Auditor General writes that this contract is awarded without any competition. An ambulance services permit for a zone automatically gives the company a contract. The contract in force since October 2023 requires, for the first time, that companies send their audited financial statements to the ministry every year.

The fair price, an open question since 1998

The Auditor General already recommended in 1998 that the ministry make sure it pays a fair price for these services. In 2025, it found that the amounts were negotiated while the ministry knew little about the cost of the services provided.

It analyzed the financial statements of four audited companies, from 2020-2021 to 2023-2024.

• Earnings before interest, taxes and amortization represented 7.7% to 16.5% of revenue in 2023-2024, depending on the company
• For two companies, this share dropped sharply since 2020-2021, from 16.7% to 7.7% and from 25.4% to 11.3%
• Administration took 12.8% to 15.9% of spending
• The gap between the salaries of the chief executives reached $125,000

Three companies told the Auditor General that their operations in remote regions are less profitable, because of the premiums they pay to attract staff. The report states that these premiums are reportedly not reimbursed to them.

Performance bonuses with weak controls

The 2023 contract includes performance incentives for the first time. A company receives an allowance when its ambulances get back into service quickly after the emergency department, and pays a penalty when they leave too slowly for the patient. These calculations rely on the times paramedics enter on a form.

The Auditor General found that the institutions that check and pay these incentives do not have access to reliable data. The ministry did not know the total allowances paid or penalties applied for the first year of the contract. This text is neither legal nor union advice.

Also read: paramedic employers in Quebec and Dessercom.

Frequently asked questions

Is an ambulance company profitable?

At the four companies audited by the Auditor General, earnings before interest, taxes and amortization ranged from 7.7% to 16.5% of revenue in 2023-2024. For two of them, this share has dropped since 2020-2021. The report does not give the profitability of the other 39 companies.

What is the price of an ambulance licence?

No official source consulted gives a price. The Auditor General explains that an ambulance services permit for a zone automatically gives a contract with the ministry, without competition. The service contract lasts three years.

What are the ambulance companies in Quebec?

The Auditor General counts 43 ambulance companies outside Montreal and Laval: private companies, co-operatives, non-profit organizations, an association and a municipality. In Montreal and Laval, it is Urgences-santé, a public body. Our articles cover Dessercom, CTAQ, CETAM and Paraxion, among others.

What are the ambulance transport fees in Quebec?

The user is billed $125 for the pickup, plus $1.75 per kilometre travelled. The average cost of the services is $1,214 per transport in 2023-2024, according to the Auditor General. The average bill to the user is $154.

Is ambulance transport free in Quebec?

Not for everyone. The Auditor General names cases where the user pays nothing, for example people aged 65 or over, income security recipients and transport between two hospitals. The government then pays the bill instead.

What will the ambulance rate be in 2026?

The rate remains $125 plus $1.75 per kilometre, unchanged since 1997. The ministry began analyzing the fees in fall 2024. No decision had been made by the end of the Auditor General's work.

Sources

• Services ambulanciers, chapter 3 of the report of the Auditor General of Québec to the National Assembly for 2024-2025, May 2025, paragraphs 5, 92 to 106 and 121 to 124, table 1 and figure 8, consulted on October 17, 2026

Urgences-santé (the ambulance service for Montreal and Laval) employs the paramedics, or primary care paramedics, of these two regions and offers careers to many of them. It is a public body, and the only ambulance service in Montreal and Laval. Its 2024-2025 annual report counts 1,026 paramedics and 284,346 interventions. Here is what the law gives it, what its annual report counts, and the jobs it posts. This text applies to women and men alike.

A body maintained by law

Section 87 of the Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services (chapter S-6.2), up to date as of August 12, 2026, maintains the Corporation d'urgences-santé de la région de Montréal Métropolitain under the name Urgences-santé. It operates for the Montreal and Laval health regions. Its head office is in the territory of the City of Montreal, under section 88. Its 2024-2025 annual management report dates its creation to 1989.

The same report describes the territory: 744 km², a population of 2.5 million people on the islands of Montreal and Laval, 23 emergency rooms grouped in 10 institutions. Resources are spread across 3 operational centres and a headquarters, where the health communication centre is located.

Its functions

Section 90 of the Act tasks Urgences-santé, under the responsibility of Santé Québec, with planning, organizing and coordinating pre-hospital emergency services in Montreal and Laval. There it carries out:

• the functions of a health communication centre, the one that receives medical calls transferred by 911 and dispatches ambulances
• the functions of an ambulance service
• the setting up of a first responder service

The second paragraph of section 90 also allows it to act as an expert advisor in organization, management or training, after an agreement with Santé Québec. Its training centre serves the workers of the pre-hospital chain in Montreal and Laval, according to its website. Our article on the emergency medical dispatcher describes the work of the call centre.

Its governance

Section 91 entrusts the administration of Urgences-santé to a board of 12 members appointed by the government. It includes the president and chief executive officer, an employee of Urgences-santé, a physician in charge of an emergency room and a person who used its services in the previous 48 months.

Santé Québec approves its five-year service organization plan and sets the quality standards it must meet, under section 90.1. The fiscal year ends on March 31 (section 101). The financial statements and the annual management report are submitted to Santé Québec no later than June 30 (section 103). The Minister of Health and Social Services is the minister responsible for Urgences-santé for the purposes of the Financial Administration Act, under section 103.1.

This text summarizes the law and official documents. It is not legal or union advice.

Its official figures

Source: Urgences-santé, Rapport annuel de gestion 2024-2025, operational data and workforce breakdown by sector of activity. The workforce counts regular and casual positions, excluding students and interns.

The report adds that Urgences-santé staff respond to 36% of requests for ambulance services in Quebec, and that 103 new paramedics were hired in 2024-2025. It does not give the number of ambulances.

Its jobs and their posted wages

The Careers section of the Urgences-santé website presents seven job families: paramedics, emergency call centre, ambulance maintenance and logistics, professionals and managers, information technology, nurses, internships.

For paramedics, Urgences-santé posts an hourly wage of $26.34 to $39.40 as of April 1, 2023. It requires registration in the national workforce registry, an AEC (attestation of college studies) in ambulance techniques or a DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, and a Class 4A driver's licence. Our article on paramedic salary compares this rate with other official sources.

For emergency medical dispatchers, it posts $23.37 to $28.74 an hour depending on recognized experience in an emergency call centre. The page does not date this rate. It requires a high school diploma, one year of relevant experience and fluency in French and English. The training lasts 75 days.

All applications go through the site's Tous les emplois disponibles portal.

A bill or a complaint

The bill for a transport is paid to the Urgences-santé accounts receivable department, at 6700 Jarry Street East, in Montreal. The site gives 514 723-5600, extension 5666. Payment can be made online, by cheque, in person or at a financial institution. Our article on the price of an ambulance transport explains the rate.

A complaint goes to the Urgences-santé office of the service quality and complaints commissioner, through the site's form, by mail at the same address or at 514 723-5600, extension 5606. The legal processing time is 45 days, according to the site. For a transport outside Montreal and Laval, the site refers to the CISSS or CIUSSS of the region.

Frequently asked questions

What is an urgence santé?

Urgences-santé is the name of a public body, not a type of emergency. The law gives it the ambulance service, the health communication centre and the organization of first responders in Montreal and Laval. In an emergency, dial 911.

Who should you call for a health problem?

Québec.ca says to dial 911 or go to the emergency room for a serious problem or urgent need. For a non-urgent health problem, 811, option 1, reaches an Info-Santé nurse. This service is free and confidential.

Is 811 available 24 hours?

Yes. Québec.ca writes that the Info-Santé 811 service is offered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The page was updated on December 7, 2022.

What is the average salary at Urgences-santé in Quebec?

No official source publishes an average salary for Urgences-santé. The organization posts ranges: $26.34 to $39.40 an hour for a paramedic as of April 1, 2023, and $23.37 to $28.74 an hour for an emergency medical dispatcher, undated. Our article on paramedic salary sets these rates beside the other official sources.

Who can take an ambulance for free?

Québec.ca, in its page updated on August 20, 2024, lists exceptions where another payer covers the bill: road accident (SAAQ), workplace accident (employer), transfer between two network institutions, last-resort assistance and, under conditions, age 65 or older. Outside these cases, the person transported pays $125 plus $1.75 per kilometre. Our article on the price of an ambulance transport details each condition.

Is the ambulance covered by the RAMQ?

No. The Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (Quebec's health insurance board) says so in its FAQ: "We do not cover the cost of ambulance transport." The bill for a transport in Montreal or Laval therefore comes from Urgences-santé, not from the RAMQ.

Sources

• LégisQuébec, Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, sections 87, 88, 90, 90.1, 91, 101, 103 and 103.1, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Urgences-santé, Rapport annuel de gestion 2024-2025, legal deposit 2025
• Urgences-santé, Paramédic, Careers section, accessed October 10, 2026
• Urgences-santé, Centre d'appels d'urgence, Careers section, accessed October 10, 2026
• Urgences-santé, Formation, accessed October 10, 2026
• Urgences-santé, Payer une facture, accessed October 10, 2026
• Urgences-santé, Plaintes, accessed October 10, 2026
• Gouvernement du Québec, Info-Santé 811, updated December 7, 2022
• Gouvernement du Québec, Coût du transport en ambulance, updated August 20, 2024, accessed October 10, 2026
• Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec, Le transport en ambulance est-il un service couvert?, accessed October 10, 2026

In Quebec, no law specific to the automated external defibrillator (AED) is in force as of October 10, 2026. The framework rests on three texts: a regulation that allows anyone to use the device, the Civil Code that protects the person who comes to someone's aid and the Charter of human rights and freedoms. This text explains that framework to the paramedic (primary care paramedic), the first responder and the public. It contains no medical advice and no legal advice. In an emergency, dial 911.

A law announced, not yet passed

The Government of Quebec announced a law as early as June 13, 2022. Its news release on the defibrillator deployment strategy calls the adoption of a specific law on public access to defibrillation across the territory essential. This law would cover the places that should have an AED, the role and responsibilities of these places and the registration of devices in the national registry.

The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), Quebec's health ministry, repeated it in 2024. Its Orientations ministérielles pour l'élaboration du Plan quinquennal d'organisation des services préhospitaliers d'urgence 2025-2030 state that "a specific law on public access to defibrillation across the territory will govern the implementation mechanisms".

This law does not exist yet. The lists of bills of the 43rd legislature published by the National Assembly, consulted on October 10, 2026, contain no title on defibrillators. The Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services (chapter S-6.2), up to date as of August 12, 2026 on LégisQuébec, does not contain the word defibrillator. So there is no chapter, no assent date and no implementing regulation to cite.

Who may use an AED under the law

The answer is in the Règlement sur les activités professionnelles pouvant être exercées dans le cadre des services et soins préhospitaliers d'urgence (chapter M-9, r. 2.1), up to date as of June 1, 2026. This regulation is made under the Medical Act and the Professional Code.

Section 2 requires no certificate and no training. Section 1.1 specifies that the activities of first responders and paramedics are carried out according to the clinical intervention protocols approved by the Minister of Health and Social Services.

Protection of the person who comes to someone's aid

Article 1471 of the Civil Code of Québec, up to date as of August 12, 2026, reads: "Where a person comes to the assistance of another person or, for an unselfish motive, gratuitously disposes of property for the benefit of another person, he is exempt from all liability for injury that may result from it, unless the injury is due to his intentional or gross fault."

Section 2 of the Charter of human rights and freedoms (chapter C-12) sets out the duty to come to someone's aid. Every person must come to the aid of anyone whose life is in peril, either personally or by calling for aid, unless it involves danger to themselves or a third person, or they have another valid reason. Urgences-santé (the ambulance service for Montreal and Laval) cites these three texts together on its page Programme d'accès à la défibrillation.

The AED registry

The national registry is called DEA-Québec. According to the June 13, 2022 news release, the Fondation Jacques-de Champlain developed it in partnership with the government, and the ministry helps fund its provincial deployment and updating. The registry uses geolocation to show the registered devices in public places.

The number of registered devices grows from one news release to the next.

• 5,121 AEDs as of June 13, 2022
• About 6,500 AEDs as of October 16, 2023
• More than 9,000 AEDs as of June 5, 2025, after an 85% increase

No text in force requires a device to be registered. The official sources consulted do not describe the procedure: it is up to the Fondation that maintains the registry. In Montreal and Laval, Urgences-santé writes that it would like facilities with an AED to register with its health communication centre.

The link with the health communication centre and first responders

The health communication centre receives medical calls from 911. Urgences-santé explains what registration is for: the information is provided to emergency medical dispatchers when a call comes from the registered building, and they can indicate where the AED is.

This link is not yet in place everywhere. The 2024 ministerial orientations give institutions two actions: promote the installation and registration of AEDs in their territory, and connect health communication centres to the DEA Québec registry.

The first responder, for their part, acts only when assigned by the health communication centre, under section 39 of the Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services. Also read: the role of the first responder and the job of 911 dispatcher.

Frequently asked questions

Who can use an automated external defibrillator (AED)?

Anyone. Section 2 of the regulation (chapter M-9, r. 2.1) says so: in the absence of a first responder or a paramedic, any person may use an automated external defibrillator during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The regulation requires no prior training.

What are businesses' obligations regarding automated external defibrillators (AEDs)?

No text in force requires a Quebec business to have an AED. The Règlement sur les normes minimales de premiers secours et de premiers soins (chapter A-3.001, r. 10), up to date as of June 1, 2026, does not contain the word defibrillator. It requires the employer to have at least one first aider at all times during working hours for 50 workers or fewer, one more first aider for each additional hundred or fraction of a hundred, and kits that comply with the CSA Z1220 standard. The CNESST (Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board) publishes an information document on workplace defibrillation, dated April 25, 2018, for employers who choose to equip themselves.

Where is a defibrillator mandatory?

Nowhere by effect of a general law: no obligation of this kind is in force in Quebec as of October 10, 2026. The law announced in 2022 was to designate the places covered, and it has not been passed. In public schools, the presence of an AED comes from a funding measure announced on June 4, 2024, more than $3 million for 1,558 devices, and not from a law.

Is it mandatory to have a defibrillator at work in Quebec?

No. The regulation that sets workplace first aid requirements (chapter A-3.001, r. 10), up to date as of June 1, 2026, does not name the defibrillator. It requires first aiders, kits and a system for communicating with first aid services. Our article on the workplace first aider details these requirements.

Is it mandatory to have a defibrillator in a business?

No, and no bill provides for it for now. The lists of bills of the 43rd legislature of the National Assembly, consulted on October 10, 2026, contain no title on defibrillators. Yet the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux writes, in its 2024 orientations, that "a specific law on public access to defibrillation across the territory will govern the implementation mechanisms". This text is not legal advice.

What does DEA mean in the context of defibrillators?

DEA stands for défibrillateur externe automatisé, the French term for automated external defibrillator (AED). These are the words of the regulation (chapter M-9, r. 2.1) and of the Government of Quebec news releases, which write "défibrillateurs externes automatisés (DEA)". The acronym DAE, for défibrillateur automatisé externe, puts the same words in a different order. The national registry is named DEA-Québec.

How do you find a defibrillator (AED)?

Through the national DEA-Québec registry and the app of the same name. According to the government news releases of June 13, 2022 and October 16, 2023, the registry uses geolocation to show the nearest registered devices in public places, and the mobile app is used to find those nearby. In Montreal and Laval, Urgences-santé writes that its emergency medical dispatchers can indicate where the AED is when a call comes from a building registered with its health communication centre. In an emergency, dial 911.

Sources

• Règlement sur les activités professionnelles pouvant être exercées dans le cadre des services et soins préhospitaliers d'urgence, chapter M-9, r. 2.1, sections 1.1, 2, 7 and 12, LégisQuébec, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• Civil Code of Québec, article 1471, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Charter of human rights and freedoms, chapter C-12, section 2, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, section 39, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Règlement sur les normes minimales de premiers secours et de premiers soins, chapter A-3.001, r. 10, sections 3 and 4, LégisQuébec, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• Mise en œuvre d'une stratégie globale de déploiement des défibrillateurs automatisés, Government of Quebec, news release of June 13, 2022, consulted October 10, 2026
• 3,5 M$ pour améliorer l'accès aux défibrillateurs externes automatisés et sauver plus de vies, Government of Quebec, news release of October 16, 2023, consulted October 10, 2026
• Amélioration des services préhospitaliers d'urgence : Québec agit sur trois fronts, Government of Quebec, news release of June 5, 2025, consulted October 10, 2026
• Des défibrillateurs dans toutes les écoles publiques du Québec, Government of Quebec, news release of June 4, 2024, consulted October 10, 2026
• Orientations ministérielles pour l'élaboration du Plan quinquennal d'organisation des services préhospitaliers d'urgence 2025-2030, Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, 2024, section 2.1, consulted October 10, 2026
• Programme d'accès à la défibrillation, Corporation d'urgences-santé, consulted October 10, 2026
• La défibrillation cardiaque en milieu de travail : une onde de choc pour la vie!, CNESST, document DC100-1198-6, April 25, 2018, consulted October 10, 2026
• Cheminement des projets de loi, National Assembly of Quebec, 43rd legislature, consulted October 10, 2026

Info-Santé 811 is a free and confidential telephone consultation service of the Quebec health network, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, according to Québec.ca. It is not 911: assigning a paramedic (primary care paramedic) falls to another body, the health communication centre. This text describes the service based on the official pages and gives no health advice. In an emergency, dial 911.

Three options at the same number

The Québec.ca page Info-Santé 811, updated on December 7, 2022, presents 811 under the heading "811: three options for different needs".

The same page announces a priority line for parents of children aged 0 to 17, at 811, option 1. Québec.ca writes that this line "offers a faster response that may result in an appointment with a health professional".

Info-Santé, option 1

Québec.ca describes the role of the nurses in one sentence: they "assess and make recommendations based on your state of health". They can also refer the person to a resource in their area.

Anyone who resides in Quebec can call, for themselves or for a loved one. A call lasts 12 to 16 minutes on average, according to the page. It goes through 3 or 4 steps.

• The nurse collects some personal information
• She assesses the need
• She responds to the need
• She refers to an appropriate resource, if necessary

The information requested is first and last name, date of birth, postal code and telephone number. Québec.ca specifies that it remains confidential and that providing it is not mandatory.

Info-Social, option 2

The Québec.ca page Info-Social 811, updated on January 9, 2020, describes a free and confidential service, also available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A psychosocial intervention professional answers. They can refer the person to a resource in the health and social services network or to a community resource.

The Guichet d'accès à la première ligne, option 3

The Guichet d'accès à la première ligne (GAP) is for people who have no family doctor and no specialized nurse practitioner in front-line care. The Guichet page, updated on April 21, 2026, adds people followed by a family medicine group.

The Guichet has an online service. 811, option 3, is the telephone help line for those who need help filling out the digital form. This help line is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Option 3 is therefore not open 24 hours a day, unlike options 1 and 2.

A Guichet worker then calls the person back. The Guichet makes up to three attempts to reach them. Callback hours vary from region to region and are listed on the page.

Language, accessibility, territory

Québec.ca writes that the English-speaking population can get an answer in English. People who are hard of hearing can use a telephone relay service to reach Info-Santé or Info-Social.

811 leads to the service of the caller's region. Info-Santé and Info-Social are offered in every region of Quebec, except Terres-Cries-de-la-Baie-James and Nunavik.

811 is not 911

Québec.ca draws the line this way: "Dialling 811, option 1 lets you quickly reach a nurse for a non-urgent health problem. However, for a serious problem or an urgent need, it is important to dial 9-1-1 or go to the emergency room."

The two numbers lead to two separate organizations. 811 is a nursing and psychosocial service of the health network. The ambulance falls to the health communication centre. Section 22 of the Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services (chapter S-6.2) gives it the functions of receiving calls from a 911 emergency centre, processing and prioritizing them, then "assigning and dispatching the available pre-hospital resources". 811 does not appear in this section. This text is not legal advice.

Also read: the job of 911 dispatcher and the cost of an ambulance transport.

Frequently asked questions

When should you call 811?

Québec.ca answers in these words: "Dialling 811, option 1 lets you quickly reach a nurse for a non-urgent health problem. However, for a serious problem or an urgent need, it is important to dial 9-1-1 or go to the emergency room." The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In an emergency, dial 911.

What is 811 option 3?

It is the Guichet d'accès à la première ligne. Québec.ca writes that this line is reserved for people without a family doctor. The telephone help line is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

Why doesn't 811 work?

The Québec.ca page Info-Social 811 gives three cases. The service is reachable from a landline or a cell phone with a Quebec number, and a person who is outside Quebec cannot call. The service is not offered in Terres-Cries-de-la-Baie-James or Nunavik. For the rest, the page says: "If dialling 811 does not work, contact your telephone service provider."

How do you get an appointment without a family doctor?

Québec.ca refers to the Guichet d'accès à la première ligne. The request is made online or through the 811, option 3 telephone help line, then a Guichet worker calls back. According to the page, they can help find an appointment if a consultation with a health professional seems necessary.

What service does 811 offer?

811 brings together three services, according to Québec.ca: Info-Santé for health advice at option 1, Info-Social for psychosocial advice at option 2 and the Guichet d'accès à la première ligne at option 3. A nurse answers at option 1 and a psychosocial intervention professional at option 2. The service is free and confidential.

Is 811 available 24 hours?

Yes for Info-Santé and Info-Social. The Québec.ca page Info-Santé 811 puts it this way: "The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year." Option 3 is the exception: the telephone help line of the Guichet d'accès à la première ligne closes at 8 p.m. on weekdays and at 4 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

Who should you call for a health problem?

Québec.ca answers with two numbers: "Dialling 811, option 1 lets you quickly reach a nurse for a non-urgent health problem. However, for a serious problem or an urgent need, it is important to dial 9-1-1 or go to the emergency room." Anyone who resides in Quebec can call 811, for themselves or for a loved one. This text gives no health advice.

Sources

• Info-Santé 811, Government of Quebec, last updated December 7, 2022, consulted October 10, 2026
• Info-Social 811, Government of Quebec, last updated January 9, 2020, consulted October 10, 2026
• Guichet d'accès à la première ligne, Government of Quebec, last updated April 21, 2026, consulted October 10, 2026
• Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, section 22, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026

Dessercom inc. is one of the employers offering paramedic jobs in Quebec. The September 14, 2026 table from Santé Québec lists its name in 40 ambulance zones across nine health regions. This profile explains where it works, under what rules and where to apply. It applies to women and men alike. It is neither an advertisement nor a recommendation.

What Dessercom is

Santé Québec names it "Dessercom inc." in the document released on September 14, 2026 in response to access request 26-SQ-0001-412. On the À propos (about) page of its website, it writes that it obtained charitable organization status and became a non-profit organization. It presents itself there as "the only charitable organization in the field". This description is its own.

Its website groups its activities under five headings: pre-hospital emergency services, medical transport, community paramedicine, events and businesses, and air medical evacuations.

Zones served, region by region

For each health region, the Santé Québec table gives the corporate name of the permit holder and the zone. Here are all the lines that bear the name Dessercom inc.

Source: Santé Québec, document attached to response 26-SQ-0001-412 of September 14, 2026, pages 5 to 9 of the file. Zones carry the name the table gives them, not that of a whole municipality.

Two of these zones have a second permit holder in the same table. The Québec zone also bears the name of the Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers du Québec. The Sainte-Marie zone also bears that of La Corporation ambulancière de Beauce inc. In Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Dessercom is listed in twelve of the thirteen zones. The thirteenth, Belleterre, goes to another permit holder.

Santé Québec states in its letter that a review of the ambulance zone map is under way and that the territorial limits of the zones remain unchanged.

The permit and the service contract

The Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services (chapter S-6.2), up to date as of August 12, 2026, governs all permit holders the same way. Section 46 sets two conditions to operate an ambulance service: hold an operating permit issued by Santé Québec or by a regional body, and have entered into a contract with it that complies with section 9.

Section 9 sets the term of this service contract at five years. The permit holder undertakes to provide the agreed services, according to the authorized schedules. Under section 47, the permit states the region or zone where the holder is authorized to operate its service, "mainly but not exclusively", and the number of ambulances it may use. Section 51 issues the permit for a maximum period of 48 months ending on a March 31.

This text summarizes the law and official pages. It is neither legal advice nor union advice.

The conditions to get hired as a paramedic

Section 63 of the Act applies at Dessercom as at any other employer. To work as a paramedic, you must:

• have completed the recognized initial college training and passed the related exam, or hold training or professional recognition deemed equivalent by the national medical director
• be listed in the national workforce registry kept by Santé Québec and have obtained a paramedic status card

Class 4A is the driver's licence class that allows you to drive an emergency vehicle, according to the page of the SAAQ (Quebec's driver licensing and auto insurance board) last modified on March 3, 2026. Our article on the Class 4A licence explains how to get it.

The "Paramédic" posting on Dessercom's website repeats these conditions. It asks that you have completed the pre-hospital emergency care program, hold a Class 4A licence and be listed in the national registry. It advertises day, evening, night and weekend shifts. The application form asks for proof of no criminal record.

Where to apply

Postings are gathered on the Carrière et stages (careers and internships) page of Dessercom's website. On October 10, 2026, it showed a paramedic position, medical dispatcher and driver-attendant positions, and office positions. The same page says it welcomes interns from the DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care.

Salary

Dessercom's career page and paramedic posting show no hourly rate. The only official benchmark is the Government of Canada's Job Bank for paramedical occupations in Quebec (NOC 32102), all employers combined: $25.56 an hour for the low wage, $35.00 for the median wage and $40.00 for the high wage. These wages were updated on November 19, 2025. The details are in our article on paramedic salary.

Frequently asked questions

What is Dessercom?

Dessercom inc. is an ambulance service operating permit holder. The table released by Santé Québec on September 14, 2026 lists it in 40 zones across nine regions, from Abitibi-Témiscamingue to Montérégie. On its website, it describes itself as a non-profit charitable organization.

What does an ambulance cost?

Québec.ca, on its page updated on August 20, 2024, lists $125 for the pick-up and $1.75 per kilometre travelled to the hospital. These fees are paid by the person transported. Our article on the price of an ambulance explains who pays and in which cases.

Where does a paramedic hired by Dessercom work?

In the zones listed under Dessercom's name. The permit holder's permit covers a region or a zone, under section 47 of the Act. Dessercom's paramedic posting presents work locations by sector.

Where can I find information on available jobs at Dessercom?

On the Carrière et stages page of Dessercom's website, which gathers its postings. Each posting has its own page, with the requirements and the application form. Hourly rates are not shown there.

What are the ambulance companies in Quebec?

Urgences-santé (the ambulance service for Montreal and Laval), a public body, serves Montreal and Laval. Elsewhere, the table released by Santé Québec on September 14, 2026 names permit holders zone by zone, including, in alphabetical order, the Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers de la Montérégie, the Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers du Québec, Dessercom inc., La Corporation ambulancière de Beauce inc. and Les services préhospitaliers Paraxion inc. This is neither the complete list nor a ranking. Our article on paramedic employers explains how to read this table.

Sources

• Santé Québec, Réponse à la demande d'accès 26-SQ-0001-412, entreprises et coopératives ambulancières par zone, September 14, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, sections 9, 46, 47, 51 and 63, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Dessercom, À propos, Carrière et stages and Paramédic, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec, Véhicule d'urgence, classe 4A, last modified on March 3, 2026
• Government of Canada, Job Bank, Salaires, technicien-ambulancier paramédical ou technicienne-ambulancière paramédicale au Québec (CNP 32102), updated on November 19, 2025
• Gouvernement du Québec, Coût du transport ambulancier, updated on August 20, 2024

The CTAQ is the Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers du Québec (the Quebec paramedics' co-operative). It offers paramedic jobs in Quebec City, elsewhere in Capitale-Nationale and in Saguenay. The Santé Québec table of September 14, 2026 lists it on seven lines, in two health regions. Job Bank gives a median wage of $37.19 an hour in Capitale-Nationale. This profile explains what it is, where it holds a contract and how to apply. It applies to women and men alike. It is neither an advertisement nor a recommendation.

What the CTAQ is

The full name appears at the bottom of its website: "CTAQ - Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers du Québec". It is also the corporate name listed in the table from Santé Québec. Its head office is in Quebec City, on rue des Tournelles, according to its website.

On its La coopération page, the CTAQ presents itself as a "workers' co-operative". It writes that it provides a paramedic service to the public and jobs to its members. It says it is a member of the Fédération des coopératives de paramédics du Québec.

What a worker co-operative is

Section 222 of the Cooperatives Act (chapter C-67.2), up to date as of August 12, 2026, defines the worker co-operative. It brings together only natural persons who associate, as workers, to operate an enterprise, and its object is to provide work to its members and auxiliary members.

Section 224.2 of the same Act allows the co-operative to subject any worker to a probation period of no more than 250 working days. During this probation, the worker is an auxiliary member.

The CTAQ's zones according to Santé Québec

On September 14, 2026, in response to access request 26-SQ-0001-412, Santé Québec released a table of ambulance companies and co-operatives with their zones. The Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers du Québec appears on seven lines, in two health regions.

Source: Santé Québec, document attached to the September 14, 2026 response, page 5 for the CTAQ, pages 5 and 6 for the other permit holders. Zone names are those used in the table.

The table gives the name of the zone, not the list of municipalities it covers. In its letter, Santé Québec refers to its map of ambulance zones and states that a review of this map is under way, with zone limits remaining unchanged.

For its part, the CTAQ names five sectors on its website: Québec, Portneuf, Charlevoix, Saguenay and the Réserve faunique des Laurentides.

The permit and the contract

The Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services (chapter S-6.2), up to date as of August 12, 2026, governs all ambulance services, co-operatives included. Its section 46 sets two conditions to operate one:

• hold an operating permit issued by Santé Québec or by a regional body
• have entered into the section 9 service contract with it

Section 9 sets the term of this contract at five years. The permit holder undertakes to provide the agreed services, according to the authorized schedules.

Under section 47, the permit may be issued to a natural person or a legal person. It states the region or zone where the holder is authorized to operate its service "mainly but not exclusively", and the number of ambulances it may use. Section 51 issues it for a maximum period of 48 months ending on a March 31.

This text summarizes laws and official pages. It is neither legal advice nor union advice.

The conditions to get hired

The CTAQ jobs page lists no requirements. Those of the law apply at every employer. Section 63 of the Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services sets two to work as a paramedic:

• have completed the recognized initial college training and passed the related exam, or hold training or professional recognition recognized by the national medical director
• be listed in the national workforce registry kept by Santé Québec and have obtained a paramedic status card

Section 63 does not mention the driver's licence. Section 28.4 of the Regulation respecting licences, up to date as of June 1, 2026, does: Class 4A authorizes driving an emergency vehicle. Our article on the Class 4A licence explains how to get it.

Where to apply

Job postings are at ctaq.com/emplois. On October 10, 2026, the page shows a "Technicien.ne ambulancier.ère paramédic" (paramedic) position for its five sectors. You apply through an online form and attach your resumé.

Salary

The CTAQ shows no wage rate on its jobs page. The Government of Canada's Job Bank does not publish wages by employer. For paramedical occupations (NOC 32102), it gives hourly wages updated on November 19, 2025.

Source: Job Bank, hourly wages by region, updated on November 19, 2025. These amounts apply to all employers in the area, not to the CTAQ in particular.

Frequently asked questions

Does the RAMQ reimburse ambulance fees?

No. The Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ, Quebec's health insurance board) says so in its FAQ: "We do not cover the costs of ambulance transportation." It refers to the Québec.ca page on the cost of transportation and on exemption measures. Our article on the price of an ambulance details the bill.

What is a paramedic's salary in Quebec in 2026?

The most recent official figure is the Job Bank median wage: $35.00 an hour in Quebec, with a low wage of $25.56 and a high wage of $40.00. It was updated on November 19, 2025. In the Capitale-Nationale region, the median is $37.19. Our article on paramedic salary gives the known pay scales.

How do you pay an ambulance bill online?

You pay the ambulance service that sent the bill. For a CTAQ bill, its website has a Payer ma facture (pay my bill) page with an online payment form. It asks for the bill number, shown at the top right of the bill, and the amount. For another service, see the instructions on your bill.

What is the CTAQ?

It is the Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers du Québec, a workers' co-operative with its head office in Quebec City. It provides an ambulance service and work to its members, who are paramedics. The table released by Santé Québec on September 14, 2026 lists it for seven zones: six in Capitale-Nationale and the Saguenay zone.

What are the ambulance companies in Quebec?

In Montreal and Laval, the service is provided by Urgences-santé (the ambulance service for Montreal and Laval), a public body. Elsewhere, the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), Quebec's health ministry, counts 72 operating permit holders in 16 of the 18 health regions, according to its 2024-2033 workforce planning: public, co-operative or private services. The Santé Québec table of September 14, 2026 names them zone by zone, including the CTAQ, the CETAM, Dessercom inc. and Les services préhospitaliers Paraxion inc. Our article on paramedic jobs explains how to read this table.

How do you become a paramedic in Quebec?

The path has four steps: the DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care (181.A1), the Class 4A driver's licence, the national clinical integration program and listing in the national registry. The DEC takes about 36 months according to the Inforoute FPT. Enrolling in the integration program requires a job offer signed by an employer, such as the CTAQ, and dated less than six months earlier. Our article Becoming a paramedic follows these steps one by one.

Sources

• Santé Québec, Réponse à la demande d'accès 26-SQ-0001-412, entreprises et coopératives ambulancières par zone, September 14, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Cooperatives Act, chapter C-67.2, sections 222 and 224.2, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, sections 9, 46, 47, 51 and 63, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Regulation respecting licences, chapter C-24.2, r. 34, section 28.4, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• Government of Canada, Job Bank, Salaires, technicien-ambulancier paramédical ou technicienne-ambulancière paramédicale au Québec (CNP 32102), updated on November 19, 2025
• Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec, Le transport en ambulance est-il un service couvert?, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers du Québec, Accueil, La coopération, Emplois and Payer ma facture, consulted on October 10, 2026

The CETAM is the Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers de la Montérégie (the Montérégie paramedics' co-operative). It offers paramedic jobs in six ambulance zones of Montérégie, according to the official table from Santé Québec. Job Bank gives a median wage of $36.97 an hour in Montérégie for the occupation. This profile explains what it is, where it works and what it takes to get hired there. This text applies to women and men alike. It is neither an advertisement nor a recommendation.

What the CETAM is

The full name appears on the home page of its website: Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers de la Montérégie (CETAM). It states there that it was founded in 1988. It presents itself as a co-operative in which all workers are members, on the principle of one member, one vote. The members elect the board of directors.

Santé Québec lists it under the same corporate name in the table of ambulance companies and co-operatives it released on September 14, 2026.

A worker co-operative, under the law

Section 222 of the Cooperatives Act (chapter C-67.2), up to date as of August 12, 2026, defines the worker co-operative. It brings together only natural persons who associate, as workers, to operate an enterprise, and its object is to provide work to its members and auxiliary members.

Section 224.2 of the same Act allows the co-operative, by by-law, to subject any worker to a probation period of no more than 250 working days. During that period, the worker is an auxiliary member.

The CETAM's six zones in Montérégie

The Santé Québec table has three columns: the health region, the corporate name and the zone. It answers an access request that covered companies and co-operatives holding a contract or an exclusive service area. The Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers de la Montérégie takes up six lines, all in region 16, Montérégie.

Source: Santé Québec, response to access request 26-SQ-0001-412, September 14, 2026, pages 9 and 10 of the document.

The CETAM is not the only employer in the region. The same table lists in Montérégie Ambulances Demers inc., Dessercom inc., HRH Services préhospitaliers Inc., Les Ambulances Michel Crevier Inc. and Les services préhospitaliers Paraxion inc., each for other zones. Santé Québec states in its letter that the territorial limits of the zones are unchanged.

The permit and the service contract

The Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services (chapter S-6.2), up to date as of August 12, 2026, governs all ambulance services, co-operative or not. Section 46 sets two conditions to operate one: hold an operating permit issued by Santé Québec or by a regional body, and have entered into the section 9 contract with it.

• Section 9: the service contract lasts five years and the permit holder undertakes to provide the agreed services according to the authorized schedules
• Section 47: the permit is issued to a natural person or a legal person and states the region or zone of operation, as well as the number of ambulances
• Section 51: the permit is issued for a maximum period of 48 months ending on a March 31

Section 47 says the permit holder operates its service in its zone "mainly but not exclusively".

This text summarizes laws and official pages. It is neither legal advice nor union advice.

The conditions to get hired

Section 63 of Act S-6.2 sets the conditions to work as a paramedic, at the CETAM as anywhere else:

• have completed the recognized initial college training and passed the related exam, or hold training recognized as equivalent by the national medical director
• be listed in the national workforce registry kept by Santé Québec
• have obtained a paramedic status card

The CETAM posts its own requirements on the page for its primary care paramedic position, consulted on October 10, 2026. It asks for a DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, obtained or in progress. It asks that you have passed the Programme national d'intégration clinique (the national clinical integration program) or be about to enrol in it, for listing in the national registry. Finally, it asks for a valid Class 4A driver's licence, with a maximum number of demerit points on record.

Our articles Becoming a paramedic and the Class 4A licence detail these steps.

Where to apply

The co-operative's career page is at cetam.ca/postuler/carriere. It leads to the paramedic position and to a section on observation internships. The position page gives an email address for sending your application.

On October 10, 2026, this page names no other job to fill. It shows no wage rate.

Wages in the region

Since the CETAM posts no rate, the official benchmark is the median wage from the Government of Canada's Job Bank for paramedical occupations (NOC 32102). These wages were updated on November 19, 2025.

Source: Job Bank, hourly wages by region. These amounts apply to the whole occupation in the region, not to one employer.

Our article on paramedic salary gives the details.

Frequently asked questions

Is the ambulance covered by the RAMQ?

No. The Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ, Quebec's health insurance board) says so in its FAQ: "We do not cover the costs of ambulance transportation." It refers to Québec.ca for the cost of transportation and for government exemption measures. The bill for a transport by the CETAM follows the same rules as everywhere in Quebec.

What is a paramedic's salary in Quebec?

Job Bank gives a median wage of $35.00 an hour in Quebec, with a low wage of $25.56 and a high wage of $40.00. For the Montérégie region, the median is $36.97 an hour. These wages were updated on November 19, 2025.

What does an ambulance cost?

Québec.ca sets the pick-up fee at $125 and the travel fee to the hospital at $1.75 per kilometre. The page, updated on August 20, 2024, states that these rates may be indexed every year. The rate is the same whatever ambulance service does the transport.

What are the ambulance companies in Quebec?

The table released by Santé Québec on September 14, 2026 gives the corporate name of the employer for each zone, region by region. In Montérégie, it lists six names: Ambulances Demers inc., the Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers de la Montérégie, Dessercom inc., HRH Services préhospitaliers Inc., Les Ambulances Michel Crevier Inc. and Les services préhospitaliers Paraxion inc. In Montreal and Laval, the employer is Urgences-santé (the ambulance service for Montreal and Laval). Our article on paramedic jobs explains how to read this table for the other regions.

How do you become a paramedic in Quebec?

You need the DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care (181.A1), which takes about 36 months according to the Inforoute FPT. Next come the Class 4A driver's licence, the national clinical integration program and listing in the national workforce registry. The integration program must be passed within 2 years after the diploma. Our article Becoming a paramedic follows each step.

What is a paramedic's salary in Quebec in 2026?

The most recent official benchmark used here does not date from 2026. Job Bank updated its wages on November 19, 2025, for the 2023-2024 reference period: $25.56 an hour at the low end, $35.00 at the median and $40.00 at the high end. The CETAM showed no rate on its career page on October 10, 2026.

Sources

• Santé Québec, Réponse à la demande d'accès 26-SQ-0001-412, entreprises et coopératives ambulancières par zone, September 14, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, sections 9, 46, 47, 51 and 63, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Cooperatives Act, chapter C-67.2, sections 222 and 224.2, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• CETAM, Accueil, Faire carrière à la CETAM and Poste Technicien ambulancier / Paramédic, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Government of Canada, Job Bank, Salaires, technicien-ambulancier paramédical ou technicienne-ambulancière paramédicale au Québec (CNP 32102), updated on November 19, 2025
• Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec, Le transport en ambulance est-il un service couvert?, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Gouvernement du Québec, Coût du transport en ambulance, updated on August 20, 2024

Les services préhospitaliers Paraxion inc. is a private company that offers paramedic jobs, employing primary care paramedics in nine regions of Quebec. The Santé Québec table of September 14, 2026 lists it on 34 lines. This profile says what it is, where it is listed in the Santé Québec table and where to find its careers page. It is neither an advertisement nor a recommendation. The text applies to women and men alike.

What Paraxion is

On the Qui sommes-nous ? page of its website, the company writes that it was born from the merger of Groupe Radisson and Les Services Ambulanciers Porlier ltée. It presents itself there as a private pre-hospital emergency services company. It also says it offers a medical transport service under the name Transports médicaux TRES.

These statements are its own. Santé Québec, for its part, lists it under the corporate name "Les services préhospitaliers Paraxion inc." in its table of ambulance companies and co-operatives.

The zones listed in the Santé Québec table

On September 14, 2026, in response to access request 26-SQ-0001-412, Santé Québec released a table that gives the corporate name of the employer in each ambulance zone, region by region. The request covered companies and co-operatives that hold a contract or exclusive coverage. Paraxion appears on 34 lines, in nine health regions.

Source: Santé Québec, document released September 14, 2026, pages 5 to 10. Zone names are those in the table.

The Rimouski zone carries two corporate names in the table: Ambulance de Rimouski inc. and Paraxion. Paraxion's 33 other zones carry only one.

Santé Québec states in its letter that the map of ambulance zones is under review. The zone boundaries do not change.

The legal framework: a permit and a contract

The Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services (chapter S-6.2), up to date as of August 12, 2026, sets two conditions in section 46 for operating an ambulance service. The operator must hold an operating permit issued by Santé Québec or by a regional authority. It must also have entered into the service contract of section 9 with it, for a term of five years.

Under section 47, the permit states the region or zone where its holder is authorized to operate its service, "mainly but not exclusively", and the number of ambulances it may use. Section 51 issues it for a maximum period of 48 months ending on a March 31.

This text summarizes the law and official documents. It is not legal or union advice.

The conditions to be hired as a paramedic

The law is the same for all employers. Section 63 sets two conditions to work as a paramedic:

• have completed the recognized initial college training and passed the related exam, or hold training recognized as equivalent by the national medical director
• be registered in the national workforce registry kept by Santé Québec and have obtained a paramedic status card

Section 63 does not mention the driver's licence. According to the SAAQ (Quebec's driver licensing and auto insurance board), Class 4A is the class that allows you to drive an ambulance. Our article Becoming a paramedic follows the full path, from the diploma to the status card.

The careers page

Paraxion posts its jobs on the Carrières et stages page of its website. It advertises positions in its Gaspésie, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Côte-Nord and western Quebec sectors, and gives the address rh@paraxion.ca for questions. The same page describes an observation internship and final-year internships in pre-hospital emergency care.

This page showed no hourly wage rate on October 10, 2026. It lists bonuses offered "for certain sectors and under certain conditions". We do not repeat them here.

Frequently asked questions

What is a paramedic's salary in Quebec?

The Government of Canada Job Bank gives a median wage of $35.00 an hour in Quebec for paramedical occupations (NOC 32102), with a low wage of $25.56 and a high wage of $40.00. These wages were updated on November 19, 2025 for the 2023-2024 reference period. This is not the rate of a particular employer. Our article on paramedic salary gives the details.

How many paramedics are there in Quebec?

Quebec had 6,112 active paramedics in the national registry at the end of fiscal year 2023-2024. The figure comes from the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), Quebec's health ministry, in its Planification de la main-d'œuvre des techniciens ambulanciers paramédics 2024-2033. This total applies to all of Quebec and not to one employer.

Does the RAMQ reimburse ambulance fees?

No. The Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (Quebec's health insurance board) says so in its FAQ: "We do not cover the cost of ambulance transport." It refers to Québec.ca for the cost of transport and the exceptions. Our article on the price of an ambulance explains who pays and how much.

What are the ambulance companies in Quebec?

The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux counts 72 operating permit holders, serving 16 of the 18 health regions through public, co-operative or private services. Paraxion is one of them, listed in nine regions in the Santé Québec table, from Bas-Saint-Laurent to Montérégie. Montreal and Laval fall under Urgences-santé. Our article on paramedic jobs shows where to find the name of the employer in each zone.

How do you become a paramedic in Quebec?

The path starts with the DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care (181.A1). It continues with the Programme national d'intégration clinique, whose registration costs $500 according to Québec.ca, in its page updated on March 24, 2025. This registration requires a hiring promise signed by an employer and dated less than six months earlier. So you look for your employer before the end of the path, as our article Becoming a paramedic explains.

How much does an ambulance transport cost in Quebec?

Québec.ca sets the pickup fee at $125 and the travel fee at $1.75 per kilometre travelled, in a page updated on August 20, 2024. The rate is the same in all regions, whatever ambulance service does the transport. The bill goes to the person transported. Our article on the price of an ambulance describes the cases where they pay nothing.

Sources

• Santé Québec, Réponse à la demande d'accès 26-SQ-0001-412, entreprises et coopératives ambulancières par zone, September 14, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, sections 9, 46, 47, 51 and 63, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Paraxion, Qui sommes-nous ? and Carrières et stages, company website, accessed October 10, 2026
• Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec, Véhicule d'urgence, classe 4A, last modified March 3, 2026
• Government of Canada, Job Bank, Salaires, technicien-ambulancier paramédical ou technicienne-ambulancière paramédicale au Québec (CNP 32102), updated November 19, 2025
• Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Planification de la main-d'œuvre des techniciens ambulanciers paramédics 2024-2033, legal deposit 2025
• Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec, Le transport en ambulance est-il un service couvert?, accessed October 10, 2026
• Gouvernement du Québec, Coût du transport en ambulance, updated August 20, 2024

In Quebec, a workplace first aider is neither an ambulance attendant nor a paramedic. It is a worker whom the employer designates and has trained to give first aid to co-workers. The framework fits in one regulation and one program of the CNESST (Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board). The regulation requires at least 1 first aider present for 50 workers or fewer. The CNESST training takes 16 hours. This text applies to women and men alike.

The regulation

The text is called the Règlement sur les normes minimales de premiers secours et de premiers soins, chapter A-3.001, r. 10. The version read here is up to date as of June 1, 2026.

Section 2 applies it to every establishment and every construction site with at least 10 workers at the same time. It excludes health network establishments where qualified medical or nursing staff can give first aid.

Section 1 defines the first aider: the holder of a valid first aid certificate, or a nurse or nursing assistant, whom the employer or the principal contractor designates for this role.

How many first aiders per shift

Section 3 requires the employer to ensure that at least one first aider is present at all times during working hours when 50 workers or fewer are present at the same time. One more is needed for each additional hundred or fraction of a hundred. Workers present for less than 30 minutes do not count. Section 7 sets the same rule for the principal contractor on a construction site, starting at 10 workers.

On its page Formation de secourisme en milieu de travail, the CNESST states that teleworkers do not count in this calculation. It adds that in the forest, a first aider who has taken 40 hours of training specific to the forestry sector must be present as soon as there are 10 workers or more.

The training and the certificate

The training is part of the Programme de secourisme en milieu de travail (workplace first aid program), for which the CNESST is responsible. It lasts 16 hours, the CNESST writes, and leads to the workplace first aider certificate, provided the evaluation is passed. The certificate arrives by email.

Section 2.1 of the regulation entrusts the issuing of the certificate to an organization recognized by the CNESST. The training must provide the skills of the intermediate level of the CSA Z1210 standard and include a practical demonstration. The certificate is valid for a maximum of 3 years from the date it is issued. To renew it, the training must be taken again.

The CNESST publishes the Liste provinciale des organismes de formation, Secouriste en milieu de travail on its Organismes de formation et formateurs page. Only the organizations on this list issue a valid certificate. The CNESST announces a revised recognition process there for fall 2026.

The CNESST subsidy

The CNESST pays for the training of a percentage of workers, depending on the sector of activity. It pays the subsidy to the training organization, not to the employer.

This number applies to a 3-year period. Training already paid by the CNESST during this period is subtracted. The CNESST gives an example: an establishment with 220 workers is entitled to 11 subsidized trainings. If 2 workers there already hold a valid certification, 9 remain. Beyond that, the organization bills the employer.

To register a worker, the employer fills out the Demande de formation de secouristes form and sends it to a recognized organization.

What the employer must provide

• Kits in adequate numbers, easy to reach and available at all times, compliant with the CSA Z1220 standard (section 4), kept clean, complete and in good condition (section 6)
• A room for the first aider in an establishment or site with more than 100 workers (section 11)
• A communication system with first aid services (section 12) and signage that makes it quick to find, like the kits (section 13)
• A poster that gives the workplace, the role, and the first and last name of each first aider (section 14)
• A register where the first aiders' reports are kept (section 15)

Section 18 makes these costs the responsibility of the employer or the principal contractor. Section 19 allows the designated person to be absent without loss of pay while obtaining or renewing the certificate. The employer pays travel expenses when the course is given 40 km or less from the workplace.

The difference from the first responder and the paramedic

The first aider acts in their own workplace, with their co-workers, because their employer designated them. The first responder belongs to a service designated by a municipality and responds when assigned by the health communication centre, under the Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services. The paramedic, the primary care paramedic, then takes charge of the call and handles transport. See Becoming a paramedic.

This text summarizes a regulation and CNESST pages. It is not legal or union advice.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get a workplace first aider certificate?

Tell your employer you want to become a first aider. The employer registers you with a training organization recognized by the CNESST. The training lasts 16 hours and the certificate is sent to you by email if you pass the evaluation.

What is the CNESST subsidy for workplace first aid?

The CNESST pays for the training of 5% of the workers in an establishment, 10% on a construction site and 20% in mines and forest management. This number applies for 3 years. The money goes directly to the training organization.

What are the duties of a workplace first aider?

The CNESST writes that the first aider has a duty to provide first aid. Under section 15 of the regulation, the first aider then fills out a report with their name, the name of the injured worker, the date, the time, a description of the injury or illness and the nature of the first aid given. On a construction site, the first aider wears a hard hat marked with a cross, according to section 14.

What is the ratio of workplace first aiders?

In an establishment, 1 first aider is required for 50 workers or fewer present at the same time, 2 from 51 to 150, then 1 more per group of 100, under section 3 of the regulation. In forest management, 1 is required for 5 workers or fewer and 2 from 6 to 10.

How do you become a workplace first aider?

You become one by designation. Section 1 of the regulation defines a first aider as the person whom the employer or the principal contractor designates for this role and who holds a valid first aid certificate, or who is a nurse or nursing assistant. The certificate is valid for a maximum of 3 years. To remain a first aider, the training must be taken again.

How much does workplace first aid training cost?

The regulation sets no price. The designated worker does not pay. Section 18 of the regulation makes the costs the responsibility of the employer or the principal contractor, and section 19 guarantees the worker's pay during the course. The CNESST pays for the training of a share of the workers and pays this amount to the training organization. Beyond that number, the organization bills the employer.

Is a defibrillator mandatory at work in Quebec?

No. The Règlement sur les normes minimales de premiers secours et de premiers soins, up to date as of June 1, 2026, does not contain the word defibrillator. It requires first aiders, kits compliant with the CSA Z1220 standard and a communication system with first aid services. Our article on the defibrillator and the law reviews the texts in force.

Sources

• LégisQuébec, Règlement sur les normes minimales de premiers secours et de premiers soins, chapter A-3.001, r. 10, sections 1 to 4, 6, 6.1, 7, 11 to 15, 18 and 19, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• CNESST, Formation de secourisme en milieu de travail, accessed October 10, 2026
• CNESST, Devenir secouriste en milieu de travail, accessed October 10, 2026
• CNESST, Qui paie la formation pour le secourisme en milieu de travail?, accessed October 10, 2026
• CNESST, Organismes de formation et formateurs de secourisme en milieu de travail, accessed October 10, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, section 39, up to date as of August 12, 2026

The salary of a paramedic in Quebec, or primary care paramedic, ranges from $26.34 to $39.40 an hour at Urgences-santé (the ambulance service for Montreal and Laval), according to the rate the employer posts as of April 1, 2023. The median salary in Quebec is $35.00 an hour according to Job Bank. This text applies to women and men alike.

The rate posted by Urgences-santé

The Corporation d'urgences-santé is the public body that serves Montreal and Laval. Its careers page states that the hourly wage of primary care paramedics ranges from $26.34 to $39.40 as of April 1, 2023, plus benefits and the pension plan.

It is the only employer rate readable in an official source on October 10, 2026. The page gives neither the number of steps, nor the rate at each step, nor how long one stays at a step. We found no complete pay scale in any official source. This article therefore does not publish a table by step.

An agreement in principle in July 2026

The posted rate dates from April 1, 2023. On July 26, 2026, the Government of Quebec announced an agreement in principle with the Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux to renew the collective agreements in the pre-hospital emergency sector. The press release states that the agreement covers 3,500 primary care paramedics across Quebec, including more than 1,000 at Urgences-santé.

The press release gives no rate. It states that the details remain confidential until the members vote. The new rates appeared in no official source on October 10, 2026.

The calculated annual salary

No official source consulted gives a paramedic's normal work week. The calculation below rests on an assumption by our editors: 40 paid hours per week for 52 weeks, or 2,080 hours per year.

Editors' calculation, with no premiums or overtime. A schedule of fewer than 40 hours gives a lower amount.

The occupation profile on Québec.ca, updated on June 19, 2026, gives an annual salary of $74,000 in 2020 for Quebec as a whole.

The median wage in Quebec

The Government of Canada's Job Bank classifies paramedics in group 32102 of the National Occupational Classification (NOC). Its wages were updated on November 19, 2025.

Source: Job Bank, hourly wages, NOC 32102. These figures come from surveys, not from a collective agreement.

Québec.ca publishes different figures for the same group: $26.30 minimum, $33.60 median and $40.00 maximum. The profile states that this hourly wage is the average of wages from 2023 to 2025.

Urgences-santé and ambulance companies

Outside Montreal and Laval, paramedics work for permit-holding companies and co-operatives. No official source consulted publishes their rates. The agreement in principle of July 26, 2026 covers both Urgences-santé paramedics and paramedics in the rest of Quebec.

Job Bank puts the median wage at $37.12 in Montreal and $37.48 in Laval, compared with $35.00 for Quebec as a whole. Our article on paramedic jobs presents the employers.

On-call schedules

The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), Quebec's health ministry, describes two types of schedules in its Planification de la main-d'œuvre des techniciens ambulanciers paramédics 2024-2033. On an hourly schedule, the paramedic works a shift that usually lasts 8, 10 or 12 hours, on a 14-day cycle. On an on-call schedule, the paramedic is on standby and ready to answer an assignment, without necessarily waiting in the ambulance.

The same document puts a number on the gap. A paramedic on an on-call schedule delivers an average of 2,365 hours of service per year, compared with 1,147 hours for a paramedic on an hourly schedule. On-call schedules accounted for 21% of the hours authorized by the Ministère in 2022-2023 and are more common in rural areas. The document does not say how these on-call hours are paid.

Premiums and overtime

The Urgences-santé careers page mentions no premium. No official source consulted gives the amount of premiums or the overtime rate for paramedics. These rules are in each employer's collective agreement. Ask the employer for them before accepting a position.

For hiring, Urgences-santé requires the DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care or an equivalent, a Class 4A licence and registration in the national workforce registry for paramedics. See how to become a paramedic and our article on the Class 4A licence.

This text summarizes public documents. It is neither legal advice nor union advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is a paramedic's salary in Quebec in 2026?

The latest readable official rate is that of Urgences-santé: $26.34 to $39.40 an hour as of April 1, 2023. An agreement in principle was announced on July 26, 2026 and its rates were not public on October 10, 2026. Job Bank puts the median wage at $35.00 an hour for Quebec.

What is the average salary of a paramedic in Quebec?

Official sources publish a median wage, not an average. Job Bank gives $35.00 an hour for the 2023-2024 period. Québec.ca gives $33.60 an hour, calculated on wages from 2023 to 2025.

Is 70,000 a good salary in Quebec?

The Institut de la statistique du Québec sets the average weekly earnings in Quebec at $1,256.04 for the whole of 2025. Over 52 weeks, that gives $65,314. A salary of $70,000 exceeds this average by $4,686.

What is a paramedic's salary per month?

No official source publishes a monthly salary. Here is our editors' calculation, based on 2,080 paid hours per year divided into 12 months: $4,566 per month at the Urgences-santé entry rate of $26.34 an hour, and $6,829 per month at its maximum rate of $39.40, rates as of April 1, 2023. At the Job Bank median wage of $35.00 an hour, the same calculation gives $6,067 per month. These amounts are gross, with no premiums or overtime.

What is a primary care paramedic's salary in Quebec?

The "Techniciens ambulanciers paramédicaux" profile on Québec.ca, updated on June 19, 2026, gives $26.30 an hour minimum, $33.60 median and $40.00 maximum. This hourly wage is the average of wages from 2023 to 2025. The same profile gives an annual salary of $74,000 in 2020 for Quebec as a whole.

What is a paramedic's salary in Quebec by region?

Paramedics form a single group in Job Bank, NOC 32102, and their wages are the same whatever the title. The median wage varies by region: $37.12 an hour in Montreal and $37.48 in Laval in 2024, compared with $35.00 for Quebec as a whole in 2023-2024. The high wage reaches $42.67 an hour in Montreal and $42.63 in Laval.

What is the average salary at Urgences-santé in Quebec?

Urgences-santé publishes no average salary. Its careers page gives a range for primary care paramedics: $26.34 to $39.40 an hour as of April 1, 2023, plus benefits and the pension plan. It does not say how many paramedics are at each rate. Our article on Urgences-santé presents the organization.

What is a paramedic's hourly rate in 2026?

At Urgences-santé, the rate ranges from $26.34 to $39.40 an hour, according to the rate posted as of April 1, 2023. The Québec.ca profile, updated on June 19, 2026, gives $26.30 minimum, $33.60 median and $40.00 maximum. The rates of the agreement in principle announced on July 26, 2026 were not public on October 10, 2026.

Sources

• Corporation d'urgences-santé, Carrières, Paramédic, rates as of April 1, 2023, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Government of Canada, Job Bank, Salaires, technicien-ambulancier paramédical ou technicienne-ambulancière paramédicale au Québec (CNP 32102), updated on November 19, 2025
• Government of Quebec, Techniciens ambulanciers paramédicaux, techniciennes ambulancières paramédicales, occupation profile, up to date as of June 19, 2026
• Government of Quebec, Québec annonce une entente de principe avec la Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux, press release of July 26, 2026
• Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Planification de la main-d'œuvre des techniciens ambulanciers paramédics 2024-2033, 2025, pages 9, 32 and 35 of the printed numbering
• Institut de la statistique du Québec, Rémunération hebdomadaire moyenne, up to date as of September 24, 2026

To become a paramedic in Quebec, you need a DEC (college diploma) in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, a pass in the national clinical integration program and registration in the national registry. The DEC (181.A1) takes about 36 months and has 2,865 hours. The official title of the occupation is primary care paramedic, in French "technicien ambulancier paramédic", or simply paramedic. This text applies to women and men alike.

The DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care

The program now has the code 181.A1. Inforoute FPT, the directory of vocational and technical training, states that it was approved in 2022 and that it replaces the former version, 181.A0. The name has not changed.

According to the same profile, the program lasts about 36 months and totals 2,865 hours, including 2,205 hours of specific training. The rest is general education: 420 hours common to all programs, 150 hours specific to the program and 90 complementary hours. These hours do not include personal study.

The profile lists 17 competencies. Among them: performing clinical examinations, determining care, intervening with people in traumatic situations, transporting people and ensuring equipment compliance.

Admission requirements

The ministry sets no specific prerequisite. Inforoute FPT states that applicants must meet the general admission requirements of the Règlement sur le régime des études collégiales, and it lists "Aucune" (none) under specific requirements.

Each cégep, however, adds its own requirements. Two examples, read on their pages on October 10, 2026.

• The Cégep de Sherbrooke requires passing physical admission tests, at a cost of $60 per person, and holding a Class 4A licence before the end of the 5th session
• The Cégep de Sainte-Foy invites up to 160 applicants to a paramedical aptitude assessment test (Kin-AP), at a cost of $60, and ranks applicants 50% on their academic record and 50% on this test

The Cégep de Sherbrooke recommends having basic vaccinations once admitted. It states that a criminal background check may be required by some internship settings. The Cégep de Sainte-Foy requires meeting the vaccination requirements of internship settings. The rules vary from one college to another. Read the page of the cégep you are targeting before applying.

Public cégeps that offer the program

Inforoute FPT lists the colleges that offer 181.A1. Here are the public institutions on this list, consulted on October 10, 2026.

• Cégep Beauce-Appalaches, Lac-Mégantic and Saint-Georges campuses
• Cégep de Baie-Comeau
• Cégep de Chicoutimi
• Cégep de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue
• Cégep de l'Outaouais
• Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup
• Cégep de Sainte-Foy
• Cégep de Shawinigan
• Cégep de Sherbrooke
• Cégep de St-Hyacinthe
• Cégep John Abbott
• Centre collégial de Mont-Laurier
• Collège Ahuntsic
• Collège Lionel-Groulx

The list also includes one private college.

The former ambulance technician program and the AEC

Before the DEC, people entered the occupation through an AEC (attestation of college studies) in ambulance techniques. The regulation on the national registry no longer names this attestation among its registration conditions. It mentions it only in a transitional provision, for an AEC intended for the Canadian Forces obtained no later than December 31, 2015.

People already trained keep their place. Urgences-santé (the ambulance service for Montreal and Laval), on its careers page, still accepts the AEC in ambulance techniques, the DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care or an equivalent.

After the diploma: the PNIC

The diploma is not enough. Section 2 of the regulation requires having taken and passed the Programme national d'intégration clinique, or PNIC (the national initial certification exam), established by the national medical director. Section 6 gives 2 years from the date the diploma is obtained.

Québec.ca describes the program in three parts, on a page updated on March 24, 2025.

• A theory exam of about a hundred multiple-choice questions, with a pass mark of 60%
• An assignment of 30 questions on professional ethics and legal responsibilities, mandatory and with no pass mark
• A practical part in the workplace, with clinical assessments and 10 complete interventions

Registration is done online on the Préhospitalier Québec portal. It costs $500, payable by credit card only. You must attach a job offer signed by an employer and dated less than six months earlier. In other words, you look for your employer before the PNIC. See our article on paramedic jobs.

The national registry and the Class 4A licence

No one works as a paramedic without being registered in the national workforce registry. The regulation (chapter S-6.2, r. 1) sets three conditions for a Quebec graduate.

• Hold the DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care
• Hold a valid driver's licence, other than a probationary licence, that authorizes driving an emergency vehicle
• Not have been found guilty of an indictable offence related to the practice of the occupation, unless a pardon has been obtained

Québec.ca names the documents to gather: a birth certificate, the Class 4A licence, the diploma or certificate of completion, and the criminal background check. Report cards are not accepted. Our article on the Class 4A licence explains the process with the SAAQ (Quebec's driver licensing and auto insurance board).

Registration gives an active status card, valid throughout Quebec. To keep it, section 10 of the regulation requires completing all mandatory continuing education within a 4-year period. This text is not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is the path to become a paramedic?

The path has four steps: the DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care (181.A1), the Class 4A licence, the national clinical integration program and registration in the national registry. The DEC lasts about 36 months according to Inforoute FPT. The PNIC must be passed within 2 years after the diploma.

How can I become a paramedic quickly?

No shortcut gets around the DEC. The regulation requires it. A person who has already completed college general education can take the accelerated DEC at the Cégep de Sainte-Foy, which lasts 2 years (2,205 hours). Its page announces the next cohort for August 2027, with registration in March 2027.

What is a paramedic's salary in Quebec?

The Government of Canada's Job Bank gives a median wage of $35.00 an hour for a primary care paramedic in Quebec, between $25.56 and $40.00 an hour. These figures were updated on November 19, 2025. The details are in our article on paramedic salary.

What studies do you need to become a paramedic?

Technical college studies: the DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, code 181.A1. Inforoute FPT gives it 2,865 hours, including 2,205 hours of training specific to the occupation and 660 hours of general education. The list of public cégeps that offer it is above in this article.

What are the prerequisites to become a paramedic?

The ministry imposes no specific prerequisite course. You only need to meet the general admission requirements for cégep. The requirements come from the colleges, for example a $60 admission test at the Cégep de Sherbrooke and the Cégep de Sainte-Foy. To work afterwards, the regulation on the national registry requires a driver's licence that authorizes driving an emergency vehicle and no conviction for an indictable offence related to the occupation.

What is the difference between an ambulance technician and a paramedic?

Both words refer to the same occupation. The Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services and its regulation on the national registry use "technicien ambulancier" (ambulance technician), and the word "paramédic" does not appear in the Act, up to date as of August 12, 2026. The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), Quebec's health ministry, uses "technicien ambulancier paramédic" in its documents, and Urgences-santé posts its jobs under the title "Paramédic". None of these texts describes two separate occupations.

What is the accelerated DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care?

It is the same diploma, without the general education courses. The Cégep de Sainte-Foy offers it through its continuing education to people who have already passed these courses at college: 4 French courses, 3 philosophy, 3 physical education, 2 English and 2 complementary courses. The training is full time, during the day, Monday to Friday. The Kin-AP test is part of the admission requirements.

Is it hard to become a paramedic?

No official source measures the difficulty of the path or publishes a success rate. The texts show three filters. Entry to cégep may involve a selection, as at the Cégep de Sainte-Foy, which invites up to 160 applicants to its test. Then come 2,865 hours of training, then the national clinical integration program, whose theory exam requires 60% and whose practical part includes 10 complete interventions.

Sources

• Soins préhospitaliers d'urgence (181.A1), Inforoute FPT, program approved in 2022, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Règlement sur les conditions d'inscription d'un technicien ambulancier au registre national de la main-d'œuvre, chapter S-6.2, r. 1, LégisQuébec, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, sections 63 and 65, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Planification de la main-d'œuvre des techniciens ambulanciers paramédics 2024-2033, Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, 2025
• Programme national d'intégration clinique, Québec.ca, last updated on March 24, 2025
• Registre national de la main-d'œuvre des techniciens ambulanciers, Québec.ca, last updated on December 19, 2025
• Soins préhospitaliers d'urgence, Cégep de Sherbrooke, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Soins préhospitaliers d'urgence, Cégep de Sainte-Foy, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Soins préhospitaliers d'urgence, DEC accéléré, Cégep de Sainte-Foy, continuing education, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Carrières, paramédic, Corporation d'urgences-santé, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Paramédic, soins primaires au Québec : salaires, Job Bank (NOC 32102), wages updated on November 19, 2025

Paramedic jobs in Quebec come from two kinds of employers. In Montreal and Laval, it is Urgences-santé. Everywhere else, they are companies and co-operatives that hold an operating permit for ambulance services. The ministry counts 72 permit holders in 16 of the 18 health regions. The official title is primary care paramedic. This text applies to women and men alike.

Montreal and Laval: Urgences-santé

Section 87 of the Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services (chapter S-6.2), up to date as of August 12, 2026, continues the Corporation d'urgences-santé de la région de Montréal Métropolitain under the name Urgences-santé (the ambulance service for Montreal and Laval). It carries on its activities for the Montreal and Laval health regions. Its head office is in Montreal, under section 88. Section 90 gives it, under the responsibility of Santé Québec, the functions of an ambulance service and of a health communication centre in that territory.

Applications go through the Paramédic page in the Urgences-santé Careers section, which leads to the portal of available jobs.

Elsewhere: permit holders

Section 46 of the Act sets two conditions to operate an ambulance service: hold an operating permit issued by Santé Québec or by a regional body, and have entered into the service contract under section 9 with it. This contract lasts five years.

Under section 47, the permit may be issued to a natural person or a legal person. It states the region or zone where the permit holder is authorized to operate its service, and the number of ambulances it may use. Section 51 issues it for a maximum period of 48 months ending on a March 31.

The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), Quebec's health ministry, writes in its Planification de la main-d'œuvre des techniciens ambulanciers paramédics 2024-2033 that 16 of the 18 health regions are served by one or more of the 72 operating permit holders. The same document describes public, co-operative or private ambulance services. It counts 6,112 active paramedics in the national workforce registry at the end of the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

Where to find the official list

On September 14, 2026, in response to access request 26-SQ-0001-412, Santé Québec released a table of ambulance companies and co-operatives with their service zones, region by region. The document is published in its list of access requests. You look up your region, then the zone where you want to work. The employer's name is on the same line.

Here are three employers from this table, in alphabetical order, with the careers page of their own website. This is neither a ranking nor a recommendation.

Source: Santé Québec, document released on September 14, 2026. A single zone may have more than one employer.

The table also names, among others, La Corporation ambulancière de Beauce inc. for eight zones in Chaudière-Appalaches and the Weedon zone, the Coopérative de travailleurs d'ambulance de l'Estrie, the Coopérative des Ambulanciers de la Mauricie, the Coopérative des Paramédics de l'Outaouais and Les services préhospitaliers Paraxion inc. One municipality appears in it: the Ville de Fermont.

Conditions to be hired

Section 63 of the Act sets two conditions to act as a paramedic, whatever the employer:

• have completed the recognized initial college training and passed the related exam, or hold training recognized as equivalent by the national medical director
• be registered in the national workforce registry kept by Santé Québec and have obtained a paramedic status card

Québec.ca states, on its page updated on December 19, 2025, that the application for registration is made during the national clinical integration program and that registration is renewed every four years. Our article Become a paramedic follows this path step by step.

The employer adds its own requirements. Urgences-santé requires registration in the registry, an AEC (attestation of college studies) in ambulance techniques or a DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, and a Class 4A licence with a SAAQ (Quebec's driver licensing and auto insurance board) driving record showing no more than six demerit points. It also requires a certificate of good conduct issued by a police service within the last three months and full availability during a six-month integration and evaluation period.

This text summarizes the Act and official pages. It is neither legal advice nor union advice.

Job prospects

The Government of Canada's Job Bank rates the prospects as "moderate" for paramedical occupations in Quebec (NOC 32102) for the 2025 to 2027 period. This assessment dates from December 10, 2025. They are "good" in three regions: Côte-Nord, Centre-du-Québec and Nord-du-Québec. They are "moderate" in the fourteen others.

Job Bank counts about 6,400 people in this occupation in Quebec. Full-time work accounts for 95% and part-time work for 5%. It notes that on-call schedules are being replaced by hourly schedules in several regions.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find paramedic jobs in Quebec?

Paramedics work for Urgences-santé in Montreal and Laval. In the other regions, they work for the companies and co-operatives that hold an operating permit for ambulance services. The table released by Santé Québec on September 14, 2026 gives the employer's name for each zone.

What is the average salary of a paramedic in Quebec?

Job Bank publishes a median wage, not an average: $35.00 an hour in Quebec, with a low wage of $25.56 and a high wage of $40.00. The reference period is 2023-2024 and the update dates from November 19, 2025. Urgences-santé, for its part, posts an hourly wage of $26.34 to $39.40 as of April 1, 2023. Our article on paramedic salary gives the details.

Do you need a Class 4A licence to be hired as a paramedic?

The Act does not name it in section 63, but Class 4A is the class that allows driving an emergency vehicle, including an ambulance, according to the SAAQ. Urgences-santé lists it in its hiring conditions, and Job Bank includes it among the requirements to enter the occupation in Quebec. See our article on the Class 4A licence.

How do you become a paramedic in Quebec?

You need a DEC in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, a pass in the national clinical integration program and registration in the national registry. The employer comes in early on the path: registration in the integration program requires a signed job offer dated less than six months earlier. Our article Become a paramedic details each step.

What are the ambulance companies in Quebec?

The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux counts 72 operating permit holders in 16 of the 18 health regions, in addition to Urgences-santé in Montreal and Laval. They are private companies, co-operatives and public services. We have a profile of four of them: CETAM, CTAQ, Dessercom and Paraxion.

What is a paramedic's salary in Quebec in 2026?

The 2026 rates were public in no official source on October 10, 2026. On July 26, 2026, the Government of Quebec announced an agreement in principle for 3,500 primary care paramedics, and its press release states that the details remain confidential until the members vote. The latest rate posted by an employer remains that of Urgences-santé as of April 1, 2023.

What law governs pre-hospital emergency services in Quebec?

It is the Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2 of the laws of Quebec, up to date as of August 12, 2026 on LégisQuébec. Its section 1 says that it governs the organization of these services and sets out the rights, roles and responsibilities of their various stakeholders. For employment, three passages matter: section 46 on the operating permit, section 63 on the conditions to act as a paramedic and sections 87 to 90 on Urgences-santé.

Sources

• LégisQuébec, Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, sections 1, 9, 46, 47, 51, 63, 87, 88 and 90, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Government of Quebec, Québec annonce une entente de principe avec la Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux, press release of July 26, 2026
• Santé Québec, Réponse à la demande d'accès 26-SQ-0001-412, entreprises et coopératives ambulancières par zone, September 14, 2026, published in the Liste des demandes d'accès
• Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Planification de la main-d'œuvre des techniciens ambulanciers paramédics 2024-2033, legal deposit 2025
• Government of Quebec, Registre national de la main-d'œuvre des techniciens ambulanciers, updated on December 19, 2025
• Urgences-santé, Paramédic, Careers section, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Government of Canada, Job Bank, Perspectives d'emploi, ambulancier paramédical ou ambulancière paramédicale au Québec (CNP 32102), outlook updated on December 10, 2025
• Government of Canada, Job Bank, Salaires, ambulancier paramédical ou ambulancière paramédicale au Québec (CNP 32102), updated on November 19, 2025
• Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec, Véhicule d'urgence, classe 4A, last modified on March 3, 2026
• Careers pages of the employers named: CETAM, CTAQ, Dessercom, consulted on October 10, 2026

To drive an ambulance in Quebec, a paramedic needs Class 4A on their driver's licence. It is added to a Class 5 licence after a medical report, a vision test and a 30-question theory exam at the SAAQ. This text applies to women and men alike.

What Class 4A lets you drive

Section 28.4 of the Regulation respecting licences fits in one line: Class 4A authorizes driving an emergency vehicle. The Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), Quebec's driver licensing and auto insurance board, lists them on its page for this class:

• an ambulance
• a police car
• a fire department vehicle
• any other road vehicle recognized as an emergency vehicle by the SAAQ under the criteria set by regulation

Under section 29 of the same regulation, a Class 4A licence also includes Classes 4B, 5, 6D and 8. The holder can therefore drive a minibus or a bus with 24 passengers or fewer, a car, a moped and a farm tractor. The holder of a Class 1, 2 or 3 licence already has Class 4A.

Requirements to get it

The Regulation respecting licences, up to date as of June 1, 2026, sets out three paths. All of them require a medical report and a pass on the SAAQ vision test.

Source: Règlement sur les permis, chapter C-24.2, r. 34, sections 25 and 43. The 24 months include time on a probationary licence.

The recognized course is the one given by the École nationale de police du Québec, Urgences-santé, the Institut de protection contre les incendies du Québec or the École nationale des pompiers du Québec, or an equivalent course. Sections 25 and 43 set no minimum age and no maximum number of demerit points for Class 4A. The employer can set one: see below.

The medical report and the vision test

This is the first step, says the SAAQ. There are two ways to do it:

• download the form Rapport sur l'état de santé - Permis de conduire, write "Ajout de classe" at the top, then have it filled out by a physician or a specialized nurse practitioner, including the "Troubles visuels" section
• take the vision test at an SAAQ service centre, pick up the form there, then have it filled out by a physician or a specialized nurse practitioner

The form goes back to the SAAQ through SAAQclic, by mail or at a service outlet. The SAAQ then informs you of its decision.

The theory exam and its cost

The exam has 30 questions on specialized driving techniques and takes about 1 hour. You need at least 22 correct answers. You book the appointment in SAAQclic.

The SAAQ page provides for no road test. Passing the theory exam gives you the Class 4A licence. After a failure, you must wait at least 7 days before retaking it, and the exam fee is charged again.

Source: SAAQ, page "Permis de conduire véhicule d'urgence (classe 4A)", last modified March 3, 2026, consulted October 10, 2026. The total is our own calculation. The fees of the professional who fills out the medical report are not included.

On exam day, bring your licence and, if required, the certificate showing you passed the course. Credit cards are not accepted at service outlets.

Periodic medical exams

Medical follow-up continues after you get the licence. According to the SAAQ page "État de santé et permis de conduire", modified April 2, 2026, the holder of a Class 1, 2, 3, 4A or 4B licence provides a medical report at ages 45, 55, 60 and 65, then every 2 years. The report must be sent before the deadline in the SAAQ's letter. A late report can lead to a licence suspension.

How it differs from Classes 4B and 4C

Class 4B authorizes driving a minibus and a bus fitted for 24 passengers or fewer, under section 28.5. It requires 12 months of Class 5 rather than 24, a medical report and the vision test, under section 42. It does not allow you to drive an ambulance.

Class 4C no longer exists. The Regulation respecting licences repealed it through chapter 18 of the statutes of 2019, and the SAAQ no longer lists it among its licence classes.

The 4A licence and the paramedic job

Three public bodies say when you need to have it.

• The Cégep de Sherbrooke, in its 2027-2028 program sheet for Pre-Hospital Emergency Care (181.A1), asks students to commit to holding a Class 4A driver's licence before the end of the 5^th semester
• Québec.ca, on its page on the Programme national d'intégration clinique updated March 24, 2025, lists the Class 4A driver's licence among the documents to gather for registration in the national workforce registry of primary care paramedics
• Urgences-santé, on its careers page, requires a valid driver's licence with Class 4A and an SAAQ driving record, issued within the last three months, showing no more than six demerit points

Each cégep sets its own deadline: check yours. The full path is in our article Becoming a paramedic. Employers are covered in Paramedic jobs.

This text summarizes a regulation and official pages. It is not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is Class 4A?

It is the driver's licence class for emergency vehicles, defined in section 28.4 of the Regulation respecting licences. It covers ambulances, police cars and fire department vehicles. It also includes Classes 4B, 5, 6D and 8.

What does 4A on a licence mean?

The 4A mention shows that the SAAQ authorizes you to drive an emergency vehicle. It also puts you among the drivers subject to medical follow-up: a report at ages 45, 55, 60 and 65, then every 2 years. The holder of a Class 1, 2 or 3 licence has Class 4A with no further steps, under section 29 of the regulation.

What is 4B on a driver's licence?

Class 4B authorizes driving a minibus and a bus fitted for 24 passengers or fewer. You get it after 12 months of Class 5, with a medical report and a vision test. The holder of a Class 4A licence already has it.

How do I get Class 4?

The regulation has no plain Class 4: there is 4A and 4B. For 4A, the SAAQ has you complete the medical report and the vision test first, then the theory exam, booked in SAAQclic. It costs $13.50 for the exam and $18.50 to add the class.

What licence do you need to drive an ambulance?

You need a driver's licence with Class 4A, the emergency vehicle class under section 28.4 of the Regulation respecting licences. A Class 1, 2 or 3 licence also works, since it includes Class 4A. The employer can ask for more: Urgences-santé requires an SAAQ driving record, issued within the last three months, showing no more than six demerit points.

What are the requirements for a Class 4 driver's licence?

For Class 4A, section 43 of the Regulation respecting licences requires a medical report, a pass on the SAAQ vision test and a Class 5 driver's licence. With 24 months or more of Class 5, the emergency vehicle driving course is not required. With less than 24 months or a probationary licence, it is. For Class 4B, section 42 requires 12 months of Class 5, a medical report and the vision test.

Can you drive an ambulance without a diploma?

The licence requires no diploma: sections 25 and 43 of the Regulation respecting licences require Class 5, a medical report, the vision test and, in two cases out of three, the emergency vehicle driving course. The job does require one. Section 63 of the Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services (chapter S-6.2) requires, to act as a paramedic, the recognized initial college training and a pass on its exam, or training or professional recognition accepted by the national medical director. It also requires registration in the national workforce registry and the status card. The path is in our article Becoming a paramedic.

Sources

• Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec, Permis de conduire véhicule d'urgence (classe 4A), last modified March 3, 2026, consulted October 10, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Regulation respecting licences, chapter C-24.2, r. 34, sections 24, 25, 28, 28.4, 28.5, 28.6, 29, 42 and 43, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, section 63, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec, État de santé et permis de conduire, last modified April 2, 2026, consulted October 10, 2026
• Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec, Classes de permis de conduire, last modified June 3, 2025, consulted October 10, 2026
• Cégep de Sherbrooke, Soins préhospitaliers d'urgence (181.A1), 2027-2028 program sheet, June 2026, page 1
• Gouvernement du Québec, Programme national d'intégration clinique pour devenir technicien ambulancier paramédical, updated March 24, 2025
• Corporation d'urgences-santé, Paramédic, careers page, consulted October 10, 2026

In Quebec, before the paramedic gets an assignment, two people have handled the call. The first, the 911 call-taker, answers. The second, the emergency medical dispatcher, assesses the call and sends the ambulance. "911 dispatcher" covers two jobs, two employers and two laws. The AEC in emergency call centre dispatch takes 765 hours. Job Bank gives a median wage of $28.50 an hour in Quebec for dispatchers. This text applies to women and men alike.

Two jobs, two laws

The 911 emergency centre falls under the Loi sur les centres de communications d'urgence (chapter C-8.2.1). Since the 2024 reform, this is the name of the part of the former Civil Protection Act that governed 911. Section 1 defines the 911 emergency centre: it receives the call, determines the nature of the emergency and transfers it to the appropriate secondary centre, meaning the dispatch of a fire department, of a police force or a health communication centre.

911 is a municipal responsibility. Under section 3, a local municipality sets up its own centre, makes an agreement with another municipality or contracts the service out to a private company or a non-profit organization. The minister issues the centre a certificate of compliance valid for five years (section 10).

The health communication centre falls under the Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services (chapter S-6.2). Section 22 gives it the task of receiving calls from a 911 emergency centre, processing and prioritizing them according to protocols, then assigning and dispatching pre-hospital resources. In Montreal and Laval, these functions are carried out by Urgences-santé, the ambulance service for Montreal and Laval (section 90).

From the 911 call to the ambulance

The regulation on standards for 911 emergency centres (chapter C-8.2.1, r. 1) sets the pace. The service runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with at least 2 call-takers on duty at all times (section 12). On a monthly basis, emergency calls are answered in less than 10 seconds in at least 90% of cases (section 15). The average time to forward a call to the secondary centre is 60 seconds or less (section 14).

The transfer to health services follows a protocol that the health communication centre sets with each 911 centre in its territory (chapter S-6.2, section 24). The health communication centre then uses a call processing and prioritization system approved by Santé Québec or by the minister (section 25). Its assignment decision binds the ambulance company (section 23). Depending on the case, a first responder is also sent to the scene.

Training

The regulation requires no specific diploma for 911 call-takers. Section 29 requires initial training given under the centre's training plan, then continuing education of at least 14 hours a year.

Public cégeps offer an AEC (attestation of college studies), Répartiteur en centre d'appels d'urgence, code JCC.13, lasting 765 hours. It prepares for both jobs: primary centre (911) or secondary centre (police, health, fire). Inforoute FPT, consulted October 10, 2026, lists one at Collège Montmorency, in Laval. The College's information booklet for group 976 gives these details:

• Training from March 23 to November 20, 2026, or 32 weeks full time, during the day
• 12 credit courses and a workplace internship
• Hybrid format, with most courses in person in Laval
• Additional fees of $169.16 per semester, or $507.48 for the three semesters, plus $30 to open a file
• Certificate of good conduct required for admission

Urgences-santé does not require this AEC. Its careers page, consulted October 10, 2026, asks for a high school diploma, one year of experience in customer service, emergency communications, public safety, transport dispatch or health, and perfect command of French and English. The specialized training is paid, lasts 75 days and leads to an international certification.

Salary

Urgences-santé posts two ranges. Its careers page shows $23.37 to $28.74 an hour depending on recognized experience in an emergency call centre. Its job posting from March 2 to 22, 2025 shows $23.37 to $33.78 an hour depending on recognized experience. Evening, night and weekend premiums are added, with no amount posted.

Job Bank classifies the 911 dispatcher under NOC 14404, the code for dispatchers. Its wages, updated November 19, 2025 for the 2023-2024 reference period, cover the whole code, which also includes truck and taxi dispatch.

Collège Montmorency, in its 2026 booklet, puts the pay for the job at about $20 to $27 or more an hour depending on experience and sector. To compare with field work, see a paramedic's salary. This text is neither legal advice nor union advice.

Frequently asked questions

How do I become a 911 dispatcher?

The regulation imposes no specific diploma. It requires initial training given by the centre (section 29). The AEC Répartiteur en centre d'appels d'urgence (JCC.13), 765 hours long, prepares you for the job at a public cégep. Urgences-santé asks for a high school diploma, one year of relevant experience and bilingualism, then trains its recruits for 75 days.

What is a 911 dispatcher's salary?

Job Bank gives a median wage of $28.50 an hour for Quebec, between $20.25 and $38.50, for NOC 14404 (update of November 19, 2025). For emergency medical dispatchers, Urgences-santé posts $23.37 to $28.74 an hour on its careers page and up to $33.78 in its March 2025 posting.

What is the average salary of a dispatcher?

Job Bank publishes a median wage, not an average: $28.50 an hour in Quebec for all dispatchers under NOC 14404, 2023-2024 reference period. The median shown is $28.85 in Capitale-Nationale and $26.00 in Montérégie.

Where can I find online training to become a 911 dispatcher?

The Cégep Beauce-Appalaches describes its AEC Répartiteur en centre d'appels d'urgence (JCC.13), 765 hours long, as online training in its December 2022 leaflet. On October 10, 2026, however, Inforoute FPT only lists the Collège Montmorency group, offered in hybrid format. Check with the Cégep whether an online group is open.

Where can I find 911 jobs?

911 is a municipal responsibility. Call-taker positions are therefore posted by the municipality that runs the centre, or by the company or non-profit organization it has contracted the service to (chapter C-8.2.1, section 3). Emergency medical dispatcher positions are in health communication centres. For Montreal and Laval, Urgences-santé posts them on its emergency call centre careers page.

Sources

• Loi sur les centres de communications d'urgence, chapter C-8.2.1, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Règlement sur les normes, les spécifications et les critères de qualité applicables aux centres d'urgence 9-1-1 et à certains centres secondaires de communications d'urgence, chapter C-8.2.1, r. 1, LégisQuébec, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Centre d'appels d'urgence, Urgences-santé, careers page, consulted October 10, 2026
• Répartitrices et répartiteurs médicaux d'urgence, Urgences-santé, posted March 2 to 22, 2025, consulted October 10, 2026
• Répartiteur en centre d'appels d'urgence (JCC.13), Inforoute FPT, consulted October 10, 2026
• Répartiteur en centre d'appels d'urgence, groupe 976, cahier d'information, Collège Montmorency, February 2026, consulted October 10, 2026
• Répartiteur en centre d'appels d'urgence (JCC.13), feuillet, Cégep Beauce-Appalaches, December 2022, consulted October 10, 2026
• Répartiteur/répartitrice au 911 au Québec, salaires, Guichet-Emplois (Job Bank), updated November 19, 2025, 2023-2024 reference period

In Quebec, the first responder arrives before the ambulance. They stabilize the person in distress, then hand the call over to the paramedic. Québec.ca counts about 6,270 first responders in more than 333 municipalities. This text applies to women and men alike.

What the law says

The Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, devotes sections 38 to 43 to first responders. The version read here is up to date as of August 12, 2026.

Section 39 sets the role. The first responder acts only on assignment from the health communication centre. They provide first stabilization care according to the clinical intervention protocols drawn up by the national medical director, within the limits of their level of training. They act as a complement to the paramedic and transfer responsibility for the call to the paramedic on arrival at the scene.

Section 41 requires them to follow these protocols and to submit to regional medical oversight. The regional medical director can order them to stop acting, temporarily or permanently. Section 42 exempts them from liability for any injury resulting from their intervention, except for intentional or gross fault.

Who accredits the service

Under section 38, Santé Québec signs an agreement with the municipality concerned. In it, the municipality designates the service that will provide first responders. This service must be accredited by Santé Québec or by the regional authority. The municipality can entrust its responsibilities to a non-profit organization.

The Minister of Health and Social Services sets the minimum content of this agreement, under paragraph 7 of section 3: how the service operates, quality standards, funding, reporting. In Montreal and Laval, section 90 gives Urgences-santé (the ambulance service for Montreal and Laval) the task of setting up the service.

Three levels of service

The Premier répondant page on Québec.ca, updated September 26, 2025, recognizes three levels. The ministry's funding guides, version 1 of 2025, label them PR-1, PR-2 and PR-3.

The acronym PR-DEA is still in use. Neither Québec.ca nor the 2025 guides mention it. These guides present the current program as an overhaul of the 2014 Programme Premiers répondants.

Training

Section 40 sets two conditions. You must have passed training recognized by Santé Québec, given by an organization recognized by Santé Québec, by a regional authority or by Urgences-santé. You must also belong to an accredited first responder service.

The ministry shows the number of hours for each level in a diagram, in appendix 6 of the Guide relatif au financement de l'implantation d'un service de premiers répondants. The initial training hours appear in an image we could not read with certainty. So we do not give them. The text of the appendix states this: for services already in place, the upgrade to the new program is 8 hours per level. For a new service, a 4-hour block is added to the initial training or completed within six months after the service starts.

One municipality publishes its length. The Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal writes that initial training for its firefighter first responders lasts 62 hours, is given by certified Urgences-santé instructors and meets the ministry's requirements. Continuing education of 24 hours every 2 years follows.

How it differs from a paramedic

The first responder transports no one. They act while waiting for the ambulance, under protocols specific to their level. As soon as the paramedic arrives, the paramedic takes back responsibility for the call and handles transport to hospital. Our article Becoming a paramedic describes that job. The first responder works within a service designated by their municipality, often the fire department.

Both receive their assignments from the health communication centre, where the emergency medical dispatcher works.

Working conditions

The ministry's guide provides for four types of positions: full time, part time, volunteer or mixed. On-call duty is done at the fire station or off-site. Each municipality chooses its formula.

Section 43 protects those who hold another job. The first responder informs their employer of their duties and notifies the employer when a call from the health communication centre requires them to leave work. The employer cannot punish them for acting in this role, unless there is a valid reason, which the employer must prove. The remedy is brought before the Tribunal administratif du travail.

This text summarizes the law and the ministry's guides. It is neither legal advice nor union advice.

Frequently asked questions

Who are first responders?

They are members of a service designated by a municipality and accredited by Santé Québec. The ministry's guide mainly targets fire departments, made up of full-time, part-time or volunteer firefighters, and non-profit organizations. On the island of Montreal, they are the firefighters of Montreal, Côte-Saint-Luc and Dorval. Urgences-santé says it has trained some 2,400 of them, for more than 70,000 calls a year.

How do I become a first responder?

Contact your municipality or its fire department, since the law requires you to belong to an accredited service. You must then pass the training recognized by Santé Québec. Not all municipalities offer this service. Your Santé Québec regional institution, the former CISSS or CIUSSS, can tell you whether one exists where you live. In Montreal and Laval, it is Urgences-santé.

What is a first responder's salary in Quebec?

No official source publishes a first responder salary for Quebec. Pay depends on each municipality and on the type of position, which may be volunteer. The ministry's guide lists pay for training participants among the expenses eligible for funding, excluding premiums. In Montreal, the first responder is a firefighter with the Service de sécurité incendie.

What training do you need to become a first responder?

Section 40 of the Act requires training recognized by Santé Québec, given by an organization recognized by Santé Québec, by a regional authority or by Urgences-santé. Its length varies by level, PR-1, PR-2 or PR-3. In Montreal, the Service de sécurité incendie reports 62 hours of initial training, then 24 hours of continuing education every 2 years.

Which law governs pre-hospital emergency services in Quebec?

It is the Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, available on LégisQuébec. Sections 38 to 43 cover first responders, section 22 covers health communication centres and section 63 covers the conditions for acting as a paramedic. The version cited here is up to date as of August 12, 2026.

What is pre-hospital emergency care?

Section 1 of chapter S-6.2 describes it by its purpose: to provide, at all times, to people who call on these services, an appropriate, efficient, quality response, in order to reduce mortality and morbidity among people in distress. The Act governs how these services are organized, names those to be set up and sets out the rights, roles and responsibilities of each player, including the health communication centre, the first responder and the paramedic.

Sources

• LégisQuébec, Act respecting pre-hospital emergency services, chapter S-6.2, sections 1, 3, 22, 38 to 43, 63 and 90, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Gouvernement du Québec, Premier répondant, Québec.ca, updated September 26, 2025
• Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Guide relatif au financement de l'implantation d'un service de premiers répondants, version 1, 2025, pages 1 to 4, appendix 2 and appendix 6
• Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Entente et financement d'un service de premiers répondants, sheet modified November 10, 2025
• Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal, Questions et réponses, pompiers premiers répondants, consulted October 10, 2026
• Urgences-santé, Chaîne d'intervention préhospitalière, consulted October 10, 2026

The cost of an ambulance transport in Quebec is $125, plus $1.75 per kilometre travelled. These amounts appear on Québec.ca and in the ministerial order that sets the rates, up to date as of June 1, 2026 on LégisQuébec. The bill goes to the person transported, never to the paramedic (primary care paramedic) who did the transport. In an emergency, dial 911.

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The current rate

The Québec.ca page Coût du transport en ambulance, updated on August 20, 2024, gives three amounts. Section 5 of the ministerial order (chapter L-0.2, r. 2) gives the same ones.

A 10-kilometre transport therefore costs a resident $142.50, that is $125 plus $17.50 for travel. This is a calculation based on the rate, not an amount taken from a source.

Urgences-santé (the ambulance service for Montreal and Laval) presents the rate for non-residents of Canada differently: $125 base and a $275 surcharge, plus $1.75 per kilometre. The total matches the $400 on Québec.ca. Urgences-santé specifies that the $35 does not apply to medical, family or social companions.

The order says these rates apply to all of Quebec and to all holders of an ambulance service permit. The last decree that amended section 5 is decree 185-97. Urgences-santé writes that the rates have not increased since 1997.

Who pays the bill

Québec.ca is clear: the trip must be paid by the person transported, even if someone else called 911. Urgences-santé adds that the relative, police officer or witness who requested the ambulance is not responsible for payment.

Nothing is paid on the spot. According to Urgences-santé, the document handed over at the time of transport is an attestation, and the official bill is sent later.

Who does not pay

Québec.ca lists the situations where the cost is covered by another payer.

• Person injured in a road accident: the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ, Quebec's driver licensing and auto insurance board) pays
• Person aged 65 or over: the hospital centre pays, subject to approval by the physician in charge
• Recipient of the Social Assistance Program or the Social Solidarity Program: the Ministère du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale pays, subject to approval by the physician in charge
• Person transported between two institutions of the health and social services network: the two institutions pay
• Workplace accident: the employer pays

So being 65 is not enough. Québec.ca warns that a person eligible for an exception measure could have to pay if the transport is not deemed medically necessary. Urgences-santé, for its part, writes that transport for people 65 and over is free if it is medically or socially required.

For road accidents, Urgences-santé sets a condition: the transport must be related to the accident. For workplace accidents, the CNESST (Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board) writes that the employer must cover ambulance transport costs, and its page also provides for cases where it reimburses these costs itself.

For transfers between institutions, section 4 of the order requires that stretcher transport be required by the attending physician or a specialized nurse practitioner and authorized by the institution of departure. Urgences-santé notes an exception in Montreal: CLSCs are excluded from this free coverage.

The federal government pays for four groups, again according to Québec.ca: members of the Canadian Armed Forces, veterans, Indigenous people registered on a reserve and people detained in a correctional centre.

In all these cases, the transport is not free: someone else gets the bill. Section 5 of the order specifies that its rates apply to all paying agents. The Auditor General of Quebec gives the scale for the 43 ambulance companies: in 2023-2024, billing brought them $85.2 million, of which $18.7 million came from citizens and $66.5 million was paid mainly by the government, because users benefit from free coverage.

A medical prescription does not make the transport free. Urgences-santé writes that it justifies the relevance of the transport, not its free coverage.

A rate unchanged since 1997

A reader pointed it out to us: the price has not moved in years. The Auditor General of Quebec confirms it in its May 2025 report. The last update of the rates dates back to 1997, and the main free coverage criteria date from the early 1990s.

Meanwhile, the cost of the service has risen. The average cost of a transport is $1,214 in 2023-2024, and the average amount billed to the user is $154. The share paid by billing fell from 36% to 13%. The Government of Quebec makes up the difference, $1,060 per transport on average. The report names the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), Quebec's health ministry, and other sources. It is not the RAMQ (Quebec's health insurance board), which does not cover ambulance transport.

The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux began analyses in fall 2024. The report cites one example: a $150 pick-up fee instead of $125, with free coverage at 70 instead of 65, would reduce government spending by about $18 million per year. No decision had been made at the end of the Auditor General's work.

If the person is not transported

The same reader asks whether there are fees when the person refuses transport. The rate targets transport. Section 5 of the order sets only three rates: the pick-up of a patient, the pick-up of an additional patient and the kilometre travelled by ambulance with the patient. It sets no rate for a trip without transport.

Québec.ca points the same way: the trip to a hospital centre must be paid by the person transported. The Auditor General notes, for its part, that in some cases such as a refusal of transport, the patient is not transported. No official source consulted on October 13, 2026 announces a fee for a trip without transport.

Paying the bill in Montreal and Laval

Urgences-santé gives 28 days from the date written on the bill. After that, interest charges are added. Payment can be made online, by mail, at a financial institution or in person at 6700 Jarry Street East, in Montreal.

In case of financial difficulty, Urgences-santé asks you to contact its Customer Accounts Department at 514 723-5600, extension 5666, or at compte-client@urgences-sante.qc.ca. Elsewhere in Quebec, the terms are those of the organization named on your bill.

Group or individual insurance can cover these costs, often in part. Urgences-santé does not claim anything from the insurer: you pay the bill, then submit it yourself.

The tax credit for medical expenses

Revenu Québec names ambulance transport. Its page on line 381 includes among medical expenses the cost of transporting a person by ambulance to or from a public hospital centre or an accredited private hospital centre. Only the part of medical expenses that exceeds 3% of income (line 275) goes on this line, for the 2025 taxation year. This text is not tax advice or legal advice.

Also read: a paramedic's salary in Quebec and the job of 911 dispatcher.

Frequently asked questions

Does the RAMQ reimburse ambulance fees?

No. The Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec says so in its FAQ: "We do not cover the costs of ambulance transport." The health insurance card is therefore not used to pay the bill. The RAMQ refers to the exception measures described on Québec.ca.

What is the price of an ambulance trip?

The trip itself costs $1.75 per kilometre travelled to the hospital centre, according to Québec.ca. This amount is added to the $125 pick-up fee. The ministerial order specifies that the mileage counted is the distance travelled by ambulance with the patient.

What will the ambulance rate be in 2026?

In 2026, the rate remains $125 plus $1.75 per kilometre, according to the ministerial order up to date as of June 1, 2026 on LégisQuébec. Québec.ca indicates that these rates may be subject to annual indexation. No official source consulted on October 10, 2026 announces a new amount.

What is the price of an ambulance?

For a person who resides in Canada, the price is $125 for the pick-up and $1.75 per kilometre travelled. For a person who does not reside in Canada, the pick-up rises to $400. Several groups pay nothing, including road accident victims and, under conditions, people 65 and over.

Do you pay for an ambulance in Quebec?

Yes. Québec.ca writes that the trip must be paid by the person transported, even if someone else called 911. Nothing is paid on the spot. According to Urgences-santé, the official bill is sent after the transport.

Is the ambulance free for seniors?

Not automatically. For a person aged 65 or over, Québec.ca indicates that the hospital centre pays, subject to approval by the physician in charge. The same page warns that an eligible person could have to pay if the transport is not deemed medically necessary.

Who can get a free ambulance?

Québec.ca names the people whose transport is paid by someone else: people injured in a road accident (SAAQ), recipients of social assistance or social solidarity, people transferred between two network institutions and victims of a workplace accident (employer). The federal government pays for members of the Canadian Armed Forces, veterans, Indigenous people registered on a reserve and people detained in a correctional centre. Each measure has its conditions, described above.

How do you get an ambulance bill reimbursed?

Three routes exist depending on your situation. Group or individual insurance can cover these costs: you pay the bill, then submit it yourself to the insurer, according to Urgences-santé. After a workplace accident, the CNESST page provides for cases where it reimburses ambulance transport costs. Revenu Québec also includes these costs among the medical expenses on line 381 of the income tax return.

How do you pay an ambulance bill online?

For a transport in Montreal or Laval, the Urgences-santé page Payer une facture offers online payment through PayPal, "with or without a PayPal account". You enter the bill amount and its number, which is mandatory. Elsewhere in Quebec, the payment methods are those of the organization named on your bill.

Sources

• Coût du transport en ambulance, Government of Quebec, last updated August 20, 2024, consulted October 10, 2026
• Arrêté ministériel concernant la détermination des zones de services d'ambulance […] et des taux du transport par ambulance, chapter L-0.2, r. 2, sections 4 and 5, LégisQuébec, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• Services ambulanciers, chapter 3 of the report of the Auditor General of Quebec to the National Assembly for 2024-2025, May 2025, paragraphs 3, 95 and 121 to 126 and figure 8, consulted October 13, 2026
• Coût du transport, Corporation d'urgences-santé, consulted October 10, 2026
• Programmes de gratuité, Corporation d'urgences-santé, consulted October 10, 2026
• Payer une facture, Corporation d'urgences-santé, consulted October 10, 2026
• Questions et réponses, Corporation d'urgences-santé, consulted October 10, 2026
• Le transport en ambulance est-il un service couvert?, Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec, consulted October 10, 2026
• Remboursement des frais de déplacement, de repas et de séjour, CNESST, consulted October 10, 2026
• Ligne 381 : Frais médicaux, Revenu Québec, 2025 taxation year, consulted October 10, 2026