Peterborough City-County paramedics have formally served notice that strike action will begin at 6 a.m. on Monday (November 16) if CUPE Local 4911 and Peterborough County do not reach a new collective agreement before then.
CUPE Local 4911 announced the strike notice on social media on Friday morning (November 13), four days after the union and county confirmed they had reached an essential ambulance services agreement (EASA) governing the level of emergency coverage that must continue during a labour disruption.
While emergency 911 service will continue if the strike goes ahead, the union states overall frontline ambulance staffing will be reduced by 20 per cent. Non-emergency programs, including community paramedicine and specialty teams, will be suspended for the duration of the labour disruption.
The union cautioned that reduced staffing could result in longer ambulance response times, with emergency calls continuing to be prioritized according to medical urgency.
“If you have a medical emergency, call 9-1-1,” CUPE stated.
People currently receiving services through the community paramedicine program are also being advised to call 911 if they experience a medical emergency during a strike.
Peterborough County had not issued a statement responding to the strike notice as of publication.
The county and CUPE Local 4911 signed an EASA on November 6. The agreement establishes the minimum number of paramedics and ambulances that must continue working during a strike, satisfying a legal requirement that had previously delayed any potential labour action.
The union was required to provide at least 48 hours’ notice before beginning a strike. Monday’s planned 6 a.m. start time provides more than the required notice.
The EASA resolved only the question of essential emergency coverage and did not settle the underlying contract dispute.
CUPE Local 4911 represents paramedics serving Peterborough County, the City of Peterborough, Curve Lake First Nation, and Hiawatha First Nation. The two sides have been bargaining for a new collective agreement since the spring after the previous three-year agreement expired December 31, 2025.
In September, 185 of 187 union members — 99 per cent — voted in favour of a strike mandate.
The dispute has centred primarily on wages, mental health benefits, and what the union describes as a serious problem with paramedic retention and burnout.
In Friday’s statement, CUPE said it is seeking wages that narrow the gap between paramedics and other local first responders, stronger psychological supports for workers routinely exposed to traumatic situations, and improvements intended to retain experienced paramedics and recruit new employees.
“While we remain hopeful that a deal can be reached, the County has spent far more effort preparing for a strike than preventing one,” the union stated.
CUPE alleged the county has ignored requests to return to bargaining and has instead been briefing community partners, including Peterborough Regional Health Centre, about a potential strike.
The county has not yet responded publicly to those allegations.
In its most recent public bargaining update, Peterborough County said its October 27 offer included wage increases totalling almost 18 per cent over three years, annual mental health coverage of $5,000 for full-time paramedics and their dependants, and $2,000 annually for part-time paramedics.
The county has said the wage proposal would make Peterborough paramedics the highest paid among Eastern Ontario paramedic services that have settled contracts to date.
The county has also proposed sending the outstanding issues to an independent interest arbitrator, who would hear the positions of both sides and determine the terms of a new agreement. CUPE has previously rejected that proposal, saying it wants to resolve the dispute through collective bargaining.
As recently as November 9, the county said its offer and arbitration proposal remained on the table and that it was focused on reaching an agreement without a strike.
The union’s Friday announcement represents a significant escalation from earlier this week, when the EASA had been reached but no strike notice had yet been issued.
CUPE is urging supporters to contact Peterborough County and City of Peterborough councillors and call for further investment in paramedic services.
