Marketplace

Ambulance Survey
December 2014

Source: CBC Research Toronto

Ambulance Service Survey

Objectives & Methodology
The producers of Marketplace commissioned a survey on Ambulance Service to be included in a
Marketplace episode to be broadcast in the 2014/15 season.
A series of questions were asked by EKOS in their Canadian online panel (Probit). The survey was in
field from December 9 to 16, 2014 among a representative sample of 2,059 Canadians Adults 18 years of
age or older.

Source: CBC Research Toronto

Ambulance Service
Used in the Past

Six-in-ten (60%) of adults Canadians have called or used an ambulance service for themselves or
someone else.

Yes, for myself

27%

60%
Yes, for a family member/friend/other person

40%

No

40%

<35

35-49

50-64

65+

BC/
North

AB

SK/M
B

ON

QC

ATL

Yes, for myself

22%

27%

28%

32%

32%

27%

24%

25%

30%

20%

Yes, for other

person

32%

40%

45%

44%

42%

42%

45%

41%

34%

41%

No

50%

42%

35%

31%

37%

39%

38%

40%

42%

45%

Q Have you ever called or used an ambulance?

Source: CBC Research Toronto

Significantly higher

Significantly lower

Ambulance Fee as a Barrier

One-in-five Canadians (19%) indicate that the ambulance fee has deterred them from calling the
service. Residents in Alberta were more likely to state they have been deterred than Canadians living in
Quebec.

Yes; 21%

No/I have never needed one; 79%

Yes

<35

35-49

50-64

65+

BC/
North

AB

SK/M
B

ON

QC

ATL

25%

23%

17%

8%

21%

25%

20%

19%

15%

23%

Significantly higher

Significantly lower

Q Has a fee for using an ambulance service ever deterred you from calling the service?

Source: CBC Research Toronto

Ambulance Service
Agreement Statements

Three-in-four (75%) Canadians agree that patients across Canada should not have to pay for medically
necessary ambulance service. Four-in-ten indicated that they might be likely to delay calling an
ambulance due to the fee.
%
Agree

DK Strongly Agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly Disagree

55%

3%

75%

26%

16% 2%

42%

19% 7% 12% 16% 3%

28%

I think patients across Canada should not have to pay for medically necessary ambulance service. 5%8% 9% 21%

I might be likely to delay calling an ambulance due to the ambulance fee charged.

I was not aware that there was a fee for using an ambulance if medically necessary.

32%

43%

17% 8%

Q As you may or may not know depending on where you live in Canada there might be a fee applied if you use an ambulance even if it is medically necessary.
With this in mind, please indicate your agreement with the following statements using a scale from 1 to 5 with 1 meaning you strongly disagree and 5 meaning you
strongly agree

Source: CBC Research Toronto

Ambulance Service
Agreement Statements by Age and Region

Younger respondents (under the age of 35) as well as residents of the Prairies were more likely to
indicate they might delay calling an ambulance, while awareness of the fee was lower among
respondents aged 65+.

Strongly Agree/
Agree
I think patients across
Canada should not have to
pay for medically
necessary ambulance
service.
I might be likely to delay
calling an ambulance due
to the ambulance fee
charged.
I was not aware that there
was a fee for using an
ambulance if medically
necessary.

5064

65+

BC/
Nort
h

AB

SK/M
B

ON

QC

ATL

Total

<35

3549

75%

78%

77%

74%

71%

75%

74%

79%

81%

68%

72%

42%

49%

45%

41%

30%

38%

57%

48%

44%

32%

47%

28%

28%

21%

28%

34%

31%

19%

16%

31%

32%

13%

Significantly higher

Significantly lower

Q As you may or may not know depending on where you live in Canada there might be a fee applied if you use an ambulance even if it is medically necessary.
With this in mind, please indicate your agreement with the following statements using a scale from 1 to 5 with 1 meaning you strongly disagree and 5 meaning you
strongly agree

Source: CBC Research Toronto