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Half of Quebecers don’t have first responder services in their communities: report

Click to play video: 'Half of Quebecers can’t access first responders: auditor general report'
Half of Quebecers can’t access first responders: auditor general report
WATCH: Half of Quebec's population does not have access to first responders. That's according to the auditor general's latest report. The report also finds ambulance wait times are putting Quebecers' lives at risk. Global's Franca Mignacca reports. – May 22, 2025

A new auditor general report has found that half of Quebec’s population lives in communities with no first responder service.

First responders can include firefighters, police officers and other people with first aid training.

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They are usually first on the scene and can provide basic care until paramedics and ambulances arrive.

The report published today says 45 per cent of very urgent calls in municipalities without first responders have an ambulance response time of more than 10 minutes.

A government-mandated committee recommended in 2014 that the province take steps to ensure first responders are available across the territory.

The report says that despite that recommendation, 70 per cent of communities had no first responder service as of September 2024.

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