Violence Against Paramedics
Date: 2025-10-30
The OPA has been supporting multiple attempts to amend the Criminal Code (assaults against persons who provide health care and first responders) in an effort to stop violence against paramedics.
There needs to be significant consequences when helpers, such as persons who provide health care or first responders, are hurt by violence.
- Paramedic Chiefs of Canada - Position Statement (Violence Against Paramedics)
- Violence in Paramedicine Research Group
- Violence Against Paramedics Protocol
- Qualitative Study of Paramedic Experiences with Workplace Violence
If you witness any paramedic being attacked or subjected to any acts of harassment or violence, please dial 9-1-1.
Please support these bills, research and evolving dialogue to stop violence against first responders (including paramedics) by contacting your federal Member of Parliament.
Federal Bill S-233
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (assaults against persons who provide health services and first responders)
Preamble
Whereas there are an increasing number of incidents involving violence against persons who provide health services and first responders;
Whereas assaults on persons who provide health services and first responders have both a physical and a psychological impact;
And whereas persons who provide health services and first responders, who care for and protect others, deserve to feel protected and valued by the justice system;
Now, therefore, His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
R.S., c. C-46
Criminal Code
1 The Criminal Code is amended by adding the following after section 269.01:
Aggravating circumstance — assault against persons who provide health services and first responders
Start of inserted block
269.02 When a court imposes a sentence for an offence referred to in paragraph 264.1(1)(a) or any of sections 266 to 269, it shall consider as an aggravating circumstance the fact that the victim of the offence was, at the time of the commission of the offence, a person who provides health services, including personal care services, or a first responder engaged in the performance of their duty.
Status
House of Commons - N/A
Senate - This Bill was heard in front of the Canadian Senate and passed Third Reading on Oct 22, 2025 resulting in the Criminal Code being amended.
Summary - Following up on Private Member's Bill C-321 (Sponsor: MP Todd Doherty), this proposed amendment to the Criminal Code was introduced into the Senate as Bill S-233 with minor changes to the language whereby the term "health care professionals" was amended to "persons who provide health services". Bill S-233 amends the Criminal Code to require a court to consider the fact that when the victim of an assault is a person who provides health services, or a first responder, it shall be considered to be an aggravating circumstance for the purposes of sentencing. Common assault can be either a summary offence (less serious) or indictable offence (more serious) with a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. Whereas aggravated assault is always an indictable offence (more serious) with a maximum penalty of up to 14 years in prison. Bill S-233 thereby ensures that when a court imposes a sentence of an offence of "assaulting a person who provides health services or a first responder" that will now be considered an aggravating circumstance during sentencing. This change in the Criminal Code further ensures that when an assailant is found guilty of "assaulting a person who provides health services or a first responder", these aggravating circumstances will form the basis for an indictable offence. This Bill is on track to amend the Criminal Code in an effort to pursue higher fines and/or higher jail terms of up to 14 years in prison when an assailant is found guilty of "assaulting a person who provides health services or a first responder". On Oct 22, 2025, Bill S-233 successfully passed Third Reading in the Senate of Canada.
See status here
Federal Bill C-321 (See subsequent Bill S-233)
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (assaults against health care professionals and first responders)
Preamble
Whereas there is an increasing number of incidents involving violence against health care professionals and first responders;
Whereas assaults on health care professionals and first responders have both a physical and a psychological impact;
And whereas health care professionals and first responders, who care for and protect others, deserve to feel protected and valued by the justice system;
His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
R.S., c. C-46
Criminal Code
1 The Criminal Code is amended by adding the following after section 269.01:
Aggravating circumstance — assault against health care professionals and first responders
Start of inserted block
269.02 When a court imposes a sentence for an offence referred to in paragraph 264.1(1)(a) or any of sections 266 to 269, it shall consider as an aggravating circumstance the fact that the victim of the offence was, at the time of the commission of the offence, a health care professional or a first responder engaged in the performance of their duty.
Status
House of Commons - This Bill was heard in front of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights and passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on Feb 28, 2024.
Senate - The Bill subsequently passed second reading in the Senate and received Consideration in Committee on Dec 10, 2024.
Summary - Although this Bill passed all of the required steps in the House of Commons, the Bill did not make it to third reading in the Senate before government was prorogued by the Governor General on Jan 6, 2025 to March 24, 2025. The federal election was subsequently held on April 28, 2025.
See status here
Federal Bill C-345 (Out of Order of Precedence)
An Act to protect Firefighters, Paramedics and other first responders.
His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
Criminal Code
1 Section 2 of the Criminal Code is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:
Start of inserted block
first responder means a person who is employed, or formally engaged on a volunteer basis, to be among the first on the scene of an accident, fire or other emergency to provide medical assistance or firefighting services, and includes an emergency medical technician, a paramedic and a firefighter; (premier répondant)
End of inserted block
2 Subparagraphs (a)(xliii.1) and (xliii.2) of the definition offence in section 183 of the Act are replaced by the following:
(xliii.1) section 270.01 (assaulting peace officeror first responder>span class="sr-only">Insertion end with weapon or causing bodily harm),
(xliii.2) section 270.02 (aggravated assault of peace officer or first responder>span class="sr-only">Insertion end),
3 Subsection 231(4) of the Act is amended by striking out “or” at the end of paragraph (b), by adding “or” at the end of paragraph (c) and by adding the following after paragraph (c):
4 Subsection 268(2) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Punishment
(2) Every one who commits an aggravated assault is guilty of an indictable offence and liable
-
Start of inserted block
(a) if the complainant is a person described in subsection 231(4), to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 20 years; and
End of inserted block
(b) in any other case, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years
5 Paragraph 270(1)(a) of the Act is replaced by the following:
6 (1) Subparagraphs (a)(xi.1) and (xi.2) of the definition primary designated offence in section 487.04 of the Act are replaced by the following:
(xi.1) section 270.01 (assaulting peace officer or first responder>span class="sr-only">Insertion end with weapon or causing bodily harm),
(xi.2) section 270.02 (aggravated assault of peace officer or first responder>span class="sr-only">Insertion end),
(2) Subparagraph (c)(viii) of the definition secondary designated offence in section 487.04 of the Act is replaced by the following:
7 Subparagraph (b)(xvii) of the definition designated offence in section 752 of the Act is replaced by the following:
Consequential Amendments
R.S., c. C-44; 1994, c. 24, s. 1(F)
Canada Business Corporations Act
8 Paragraphs 1(z.017) to (z.019) of the schedule to the Canada Business Corporations Act are replaced by the following:
(z.017) subsection 270(1) (assaulting a peace officeror first responder>span class="sr-only">Insertion end);
(z.018) subsection 270.01(1) (assaulting peace officer or first responder>span class="sr-only">Insertion endwith weapon or causing bodily harm);
(z.019) section 270.02 (aggravated assault of peace officeror first responder>span class="sr-only">Insertion end);
1992, c. 20
Corrections and Conditional Release Act
9 Paragraphs 1(x) to (x.2) of Schedule I to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act are replaced with the following:
(x) section 270 (assaulting a peace officeror a first responder>span class="sr-only">Insertion end);
(x.1) section 270.01 (assaulting peace officer or first responder>span class="sr-only">Insertion endwith weapon or causing bodily harm);
(x.2) section 270.02 (aggravated assault of peace officeror first responder>span class="sr-only">Insertion end);
Status
House of Commons - This Bill passed First Reading on June 19, 2023
Senate - N/A
Summary - This bill was scheduled to be heard in front of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights before it fell out of Order of Precedence when the sponsor MP Peter Julian did not select the bill for debate.
See status here
Ontario Legislature
Updated: 2023-10-24
Hansard: https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/house-documents/parliament-43/session-1/2023-10-24/hansard#P731_144410
Question Period
Violence Against Paramedics
- Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: My question is to the Premier. Paramedics in the Niagara region are facing a violence epidemic. Within seven months, there have been 56 incidents, which has added to staff attrition. No one should ever feel unsafe going into work. Premier, paramedics should not be made to feel like second-class first responders. Will you commit to a provincial staffing strategy to address compensation, training and resources to ensure the safety of our paramedics and combat burnout?
- The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Minister of Health.
- Hon. Sylvia Jones: Well, the one thing where I will agree with the member opposite is that there is no one in our health care system who should feel unsafe when they are doing a job and protecting the people of Ontario. We have worked very closely with our paramedic chiefs and associations to make sure that we have resourced them appropriately. Of course, the member opposite knows we are a 50-50 partner with our municipal partners to make sure that we fund 50% of any expansion of the paramedic services in the province of Ontario. We will continue to do that, but I want to make it very clear that we do not tolerate violence in our health care system, including, of course, with our paramedics.
- The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?
- Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: Back to the Premier: Our paramedics, our local heroes, are facing rising violence on the job. They stand on the front lines daily, risking it all. Let me repeat that: They stand on the front lines daily, risking everything. Premier, you control the purse strings. Can we get your commitment today to scrutinize the critical situation of our paramedics in Ontario and ensure they receive the same level of resources as other first responders? They deserve nothing less.
- Hon. Sylvia Jones: Again, I will repeat: We have zero tolerance for workplace violence. One incident is one too many. But I must say, I’m also incredibly proud of our government and our Premier when we announced a PTSI centre with Runnymede to ensure that our first responders—including our paramedics, who we know historically have had a higher rate of PTSI—have the supports they need with an expansion of that centre.
Canadian Study of Violence Against Paramedics
The Paramedic Chiefs of Canada (PCC) and Paramedic Association of Canada (PAC) are pleased to announce the launch of the Canadian Study of Violence Against Paramedics (CSVAP).
CLICK HERE - Canadian Study of Violence Against Paramedics
Background
The purpose of the Canadian Study of Violence Against Paramedics is to collect the data necessary to fill the present gap in knowledge about violence against paramedics in Canada, the context of such incidents, and the impact these incidents have on the mental health and wellbeing of paramedics and their families.
If you are currently a working or retired Canadian paramedic (which for the purpose of this study includes EMR, EMA, PCP, ACP, CCP, and Med-Techs in the Canadian Armed Forces), regardless of the position or rank that you hold, you are invited to participate in Phase I of the study – an online survey that will take approximately 45-90 minutes of your time.
REB Approval
The survey, which is being conducted by Dr. Renée MacPhee and the CSVAP research team, has been approved by the Research Ethics Board (REB) at Wilfrid Laurier University (REB# 9197).
Study Link
Please use the link below to learn more about the study and how you can participate in this very important national initiative.
CLICK HERE - Canadian Study of Violence Against Paramedics
Deadline: October 15, 2025. Note: If you submit your survey by September 15, 2025, you will be eligible to have your name entered into the early-bird prize draw.
Acknowledgements
The study is possible due to the financial support of the Canadian Safety & Security Program / Defence Research & Development Canada (CSSP-DRDC).