History

Ambulance service in British Columbia has roots dating back to the early 1900s. At this time, Emergency Medical Services were provided by a wide range of commercial and municipal operators, some functioning from funeral homes, others partially subsidized by municipalities, some based with volunteer fire departments and others existing on paid subscriptions from the public. This diversity in providers resulted in great variations in response times, a lack of control over staffing levels or staff qualifications, inconsistencies in service delivery and differences in the quality of ambulances and equipment. Staff training and patient care standards were also virtually non-existent, as they were largely determined by the financial health of the providing agency or company.