Ambulance service in Stewart, B.C., will resume Monday after public pressure. Mayor says media push was key in restoring emergency care access.
Mayor’s Media Push Leads to Emergency Coverage Reinstatement
Ambulance services in Stewart, B.C., will resume on Monday, July 8, following days of complete disruption and growing concern among residents. The breakthrough comes after Mayor Angela Brand Danuser launched a public campaign demanding urgent action from provincial authorities.
Stewart, a remote community of approximately 500 residents on the Alaska border, had been left without ambulance coverage for nearly a week. The service gap was caused by the absence of the town’s two regular paramedics, who had not been replaced.
Critical Delay in Paramedic Response Raises Alarm
During the service outage, Stewart residents were left relying on ambulances from Hazelton—over a three-hour drive away. Mayor Brand Danuser reported at least two “near misses,” including an incident where a resident, unable to wait for emergency responders, transported a patient to the health centre personally.
“We have a beautiful health centre with excellent staff,” she said, “but if you can’t get there in time, what good is it?”
She called the situation “completely unacceptable,” especially given Stewart’s aging population, strong tourism traffic, and active mining sector—all of which heighten the need for rapid emergency response.
No Weekend Coverage Despite Monday Restart
Although service is set to resume Monday with travelling paramedics, Brand Danuser confirmed there will be no coverage over the weekend. She expressed frustration that the temporary fix will not be in place sooner, leaving residents vulnerable through July 6 and 7.
B.C. Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) has acknowledged the concerns but did not respond directly to news of the reinstatement. In a prior statement, BCEHS said it is “committed to doing everything we can to provide consistent coverage in this area.”
Rural Staffing Model Under Fire
The Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. union also weighed in, warning that Stewart’s situation is part of a wider systemic failure. “Having only two employees covering 24/7 is not sustainable,” said union spokesperson Ian Tait.
Tait criticized the reliance on “pager pay” and on-call systems in rural areas, advocating instead for permanent full-time positions to reduce burnout and attract stable staffing.
Mayor Brand Danuser echoed that sentiment. “If this happens again, I will be screaming and yelling again,” she said. “We need to have full-time coverage—all the time.”
A Wake-Up Call for Rural Healthcare
This incident in Stewart underscores ongoing challenges in emergency healthcare delivery across remote regions of British Columbia. It also demonstrates the power of local leadership and public advocacy in driving change.
For now, Stewart residents can expect relief starting Monday morning—but long-term solutions remain uncertain.
For continuous coverage and real-time updates, keep following Maple News Wire.
