Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story indicated that the English-language training program costs about $5,300. A spokesperson for the Department of Health said that is not the case.

New Brunswick is ramping up efforts to train more emergency medical technicians in the province.

A French-language training program for EMTs will begin at CCNB’s Campbellton campus in January.

In a news release, the province said 20 seats will be offered for the 10-week training program. A second cohort is planned for Bathurst if there is sufficient demand.

The training comes as Ambulance New Brunswick reintroduces EMTs as a way to help keep more ambulances on the road.

EMTs will provide additional resources to support non-urgent patient transfers from one another hospitals.

Instead of assigning two paramedics to each patient transfer, a transfer unit may be staffed by one EMT and one paramedic.

This, according to the province, will allow more paramedics to be assigned to units responding to emergency calls.

“The addition of the EMT program through CCNB is another step forward with our commitments under the provincial health plan to create a better-connected health system and meet the needs of New Brunswickers,” Health Minister Bruce Fitch said in a news release.

The program will be offered at no cost through funding from WorkingNB and the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour.

Applicants must have a high school diploma, adult high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma (GED) and will be selected in collaboration with Ambulance NB based on interviews and resumés.

An English-language training program began at Medavie HealthEd in Moncton earlier this fall. The first graduates from the seven-week program are expected to enter the workforce before year’s end.

Like the French-language training program, there will be no cost to the student for tuition or books in the English-language program.