Emergency Health Services Alberta is no more; in its place will be Alta Paramedic Health. The rebranding announcement was made Friday morning. During the announcement, vehicles were unveiled, showing the new name and logo. Alta was noted at the announcement as meaning “tall” as well as being the common shorthand for Alberta. Officials called it “a new name for a new era.” They said it symbolizes “standing tall for our people, our partners and for all Albertans.” Anne MacDonald, chief of operations, said although the name is changing, the organization’s purpose is not. “We will still be there in the most critical moments,” she said. “Our new name and identity are deliberate and meaningful. “This change brings together who we are today and who we are becoming.” Les Fisher, managing director, similarly said it will “build on the strong foundation already in place while positioning us for the future.” He said getting it right was important, as paramedics “literally wear their identity on their sleeves.” He said the change “supports a broader modernization effort” focused on “matching care delivered to what the patient actually needs.” Three priorities were cited, including “caring for our people, serving the people of Alberta (and) modernizing with purpose.” Criticism levelled Critics said the new brand does nothing to address the same old problems, including staffing shortages and unavailable ambulances. “They are not doing any of the work to fix the real problems,” said retired paramedic Don Sharpe. “I don’t care what colour the trucks are. “End hallway waits; start moving non-urgent patients using private contractors; stop raiding rural communities of their ambulances.” Phased approach Officials said the change will be rolled out “over the coming year-plus.” In a later statement, more details about a phased approach to the rebrand were offered: “Our fleet includes approximately 764 vehicles, each with an average lifecycle of six to eight years. Because of this, a full rebrand will take time,” the statement read. “As vehicles are retired and replaced through normal operations, new units will be introduced with updated branding. “At this time, two vehicles featuring the new logo are already in service.” Uniform updates are also underway. The later statement said all staff are expected to transition to new uniforms by January 2027: “This ensures patients and families can easily identify paramedics when they arrive,” the statement said. “Currently, about $2.8 million is invested annually in uniforms, and this transition is being aligned with regular replacement cycles. “Alta Paramedic Health is supported by approximately 4,200 frontline and support staff, including primary care and advanced care paramedics, emergency medical responders and communication officers.”
