Medavie is proud to once again be a double winner in both the national and regional Canada's Top 100 Employers competitions — recognition that reflects our commitment to creating “exceptional workplaces” and leading our industry. The annual competitions evaluate employers across eight criteria, including workplace culture, benefits, training and development, and community involvement. This feature story was also published on The Globe and Mail website in recognition of Medavie being named one of Atlantic Canada’s “most dynamic and progressive employers.”
Kayla LeMoine always felt drawn to the helping professions. In high school, as she watched friends struggle with drug abuse, she had leaned toward a career in addictions counselling. After graduating in 2013, she chose a position at Medavie as a paramedic. “I always wanted to do something to help out my community here in Cape Breton, as much as I could,” she says. “Paramedicine wasn’t something I sought out originally, but it was a good fit.”
For one thing, the job offered LeMoine a type of human connection she hadn’t expected. “Working on the ambulance, you’re in every kind of situation,” she says. “You’re in people’s homes, you’re building personal relationships with them, getting a comprehensive idea of their social situations.”
“Our culture is driven by the mission that we’re on, serving the well-being of Canadians.”
- David Adams, Senior Vice President, Insurance Business -
“In each of the divisions within our business, we are all focused on that mission. We all get to make an impact on the health of Canadians in different ways to help them live longer, healthier lives.”
Medavie began 83 years ago as the Maritime Hospital Service Association, a not-for-profit organization that addressed the need for medical expense coverage in Atlantic Canada. Today, the company maintains its head office in Moncton but offers a host of health services across Canada.
Over the years, the company expanded its business and insurance offerings to Québec and Ontario, added a range of health-care services including emergency medical services (EMS), community-based health-care programs, clinical training and medical communications, and now operates more than primary care clinics with locations in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. Medavie has evolved to be the largest contracted EMS management provider in the country and a premier all-in-one benefits carrier through Medavie Blue Cross.
Adams started with Medavie in 2011 with limited experience working in the healthcare industry. “Working for a company whose prime focus is on the health and well-being of Canadians makes it easy to learn quickly and to feel good about the impact that you can make every day.”
That feeling continues. “I recently participated in a town hall with Medavie employees discussing our company’s plan for the next five years,” he says. “There was tremendous energy in the room in support of our culture and values, and an overwhelming pride in the fact that our jobs give us the privilege of helping people every day. That’s a good place to be as an organization.”
Adams says that Medavie’s prime focus is delivering great services to customers, but the company also continues to evolve the value proposition for employees, including new ways of working like hybrid work models.
“Our work environment is unique, and some roles, especially in frontline care, can’t be done in a hybrid or remote format. But for some employees, their roles are flexible enough to let them choose the work setting that suits them best. The world has evolved over the last five years, and where it makes sense, we’ve adapted to offer options that support team members’ work‑life balance, all while continuing to deliver the highest level of service to our customers.”
For Lemoine, that balance includes giving back to the community even when her work shift ends. She volunteers with community outreach programs, hosting information sessions at local schools and events, spearheading toy drives, food drives and blood pressure clinics. She also works as a facilitator and trainer at Medavie HealthEd, Medavie’s paramedicine training program in Atlantic Canada.
“In our profession, every situation is different,” says Lemoine. “You have to be adaptable. You have to be empathetic and be able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.”
Medavie Facts:
5,000 staff volunteer hours last year
65% of Medavie’s workforce are women
93% of employees say they’re proud to work there
130 charities helped last year
