Brand New ER In Halifax

So I was in Halifax last week on a house hunting trip (successful thank you very much!) and ended up with my girlfriend in the emerg. It was the very first night that the new emerg was open at the QEII. It was strange, almost like being the first person on a new ride at the fairgrounds.

Anyway...beautiful! No more curtains separating patients but everyone had their own individual rooms. I found this increased patient privacy and decreased the possibility of cross contamination which was nice. Unfortunately it also makes for a HUGE department...I'm sure the nurses, docs, techs will all be getting their exercise in the near future.
Does anybody here work there? If so...I have a few questions for you...
1)What do you think of the new emerg?
2)What's with the paramedics? I've never been to an emerg hiring so many medics. My girlfriend was triaged by a medic, had her initial done by a medic and then seen by a doc. It all worked out well but I was wondering where this came about and if there are tensions between the nurses and the medics. Just curious is all. Thanks