A Lambton County community paramedic program is working to improve the health of its clients and reduce emergency room visits, but its provincial funding isn’t keeping pace.

The program began in 2017 with paramedics visiting county residents facing barriers to health care, but this year it had to reduce staff by a full-time position by not filling a job opening, according to a county report.

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The $1.3 million in provincial funding the program receives annually has remained relatively static over the last five years as wage and others costs have increased, it said.

Lambton’s provincial funding for the service comes from Bluewater Health, Ontario Health and the Ministry of Long-term Care, which provides the largest share at about $875,000.

While the cost of 911 paramed

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