Jérémy Lachance delivering his presentation on paramedics motivation in June 2026
At Demers Ambulances, supporting paramedic services goes beyond building ambulances. It also means taking part in the conversations shaping the future of the profession. That is why we supported Together in Emergency: Communicate, Adapt, Evolve, a symposium organized by the Coopérative des paramédics de l’Outaouais and the Université du Québec en Outaouais.
Following the event, Demers spoke with Jérémy Lachance, who delivered a presentation on sustainable motivation among paramedics. A former paramedic, supervisor and Director of Operations with the Coopérative des ambulanciers de la Mauricie, Lachance holds an MBA and has spent years examining the conditions that help teams remain engaged, supported and proud of their work.
They become paramedics to make a difference
Lachance has experienced the profession from several perspectives, and one thing has remained clear.
“People enter the profession because they believe in the mission. They want to make a difference in patients’ lives.”
That initial motivation is powerful. It comes from wanting to help, to be useful, and to show up when someone needs care. But the reality soon becomes more complex. Not every shift is filled with life-threatening emergencies. Paramedics also respond to mental health and social calls, lower-acuity situations, and patients whose needs may not be best addressed by transportation to an emergency department.
When the available response does not fully match what a patient needs, a paramedic’s sense of impact can begin to fade. The purpose behind the work has not disappeared, but it can become harder to feel. That is often when disillusionment sets in.
Lachance believes career longevity should be viewed differently.
“When new paramedics joined our organization, I wished them a happy career, not a long one. Ten happy years are worth much more than 35 unhappy ones.”
What organizations can do
Supporting motivation does not mean solving every challenge at once. It begins with understanding three core needs that influence engagement: autonomy, competence and belonging.
- Autonomy includes the ability to influence a patient’s care pathway. Community paramedicine offers one example by giving paramedics more opportunities to apply their clinical judgment, connect patients with appropriate resources and regain a stronger sense of impact.
- Competence is often reinforced through everyday experiences. Operational metrics matter, but they do not tell the whole story. Recognizing sound clinical judgment, a compassionate approach, or a well-managed call can sometimes have more impact than another performance measure.
Beyond competence, strong leadership remains essential.
“The organizations doing best right now are the ones that stay close to their people.”
- Belonging is also built inside the ambulance. Two people may spend long hours together, face uncertainty side by side, and support one another through difficult calls.
“The best years of my career were the ones when I had a great partner.”
For leaders, this means scheduling is more than an operational task. Partner assignments, team stability, and conflict resolution can all influence organizational health.
Sometimes, improving the relationship between an employee and an organization begins with something simple: listening before offering a solution. “The first mistake we make is thinking we already know”, said Lachance.
Before leaders can support or motivate their teams, they need to understand what people are actually experiencing.
These actions will not solve every challenge facing paramedic services, but they help build something essential: trust.
“Paramedics do not need much to feel heard. They simply need to know their leaders see them as people.”
Staying motivated does not mean feeling inspired during every shift. It means finding meaning in what you can influence, relying on a healthy team, maintaining a life outside of work, and holding on to enough pride to continue doing the job well.
AHS Edmonton Metro Tactical EMS & Edmonton Metro Public Safety Unit
Lachance believes the future of the profession depends on preserving the sense of purpose that draws people to paramedicine in the first place while adapting organizations to the realities they face today. He remains optimistic, particularly as more paramedics continue their education, move into leadership roles, and help shape the future of the profession.
Confidence also comes from understanding the tools and environment paramedics work with every day. Becoming familiar with a new ambulance, its updated systems and safety features, helps teams work with greater confidence and support one another more effectively. This emphasis on familiarity and confidence is reflected in Demers’ Ambulance Operator Orientation program, which helps paramedics and supervisors understand a new vehicle’s features and feel comfortable using them from the outset. Here are the three modules of this training path: