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Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service spokesperson Erin Madden said the city is poised to pay $2.1 million through that agreement in 2018.

The city and province have been engaged in a funding feud over ambulance service since November 2017, when the province froze its contribution at 2016 levels. The city said that would create a municipal budget shortfall in both 2017 and 2018.

While lobbying against the freeze, the civic government even explored transferring emergency medical service back to the province.

On Wednesday, the mayor he doesn’t oppose the service model itself, just the fact the city is expected to pay part of the tab.

“We’re prepared to continue providing the service but the bill needs to be paid by the province and not Winnipeg property taxpayers,” said Bowman.

The two governments recently agreed on funding for this year and 2017 but still lack a long-term agreement.

The mayor didn’t answer what the city will do if the province refuses to fund the entire government portion of the service costs, calling questions on that topic “hypothetical.”

And Health Minister Cameron Friesen repeatedly declined to answer whether the province would accept that demand.

“We’re willing to stay at the table and negotiate with the city,” he said.

Friesen wouldn’t rule out a provincial takeover of Winnipeg ambulance service but said that isn’t his goal.

“It’s not the direction that we would like the city to go in,” he said.

Friesen also declined to weigh in on whether the province would cut Winnipeg EMS service to make up for any lost city funding.

Meanwhile, the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union, which represents Winnipeg’s paramedics, urged both sides to settle their funding dispute quickly.

“Winnipeggers shouldn’t have to worry about their emergency medical services,” said MGEU president Michelle Gawronsky, in an emailed statement.

jpursaga@postmedia.com

Twitter: @pursagawpgsun