SUBMITTED PHOTO HALO responding to a call for emergency services in this undated photo.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
HALO says since receiving a one-time grant from Alberta Health earlier this year it no longer receives a fee for the calls it is dispatched on.
“HALO did receive funding from Alberta Health Services for a short time on a ‘fee-for-service’ model before receiving the restricted $1-million grant,” said Paul Carolan HALO representative.
In a story earlier this week the News incorrectly stated that HALO is still being paid a fee-for-service.
HALO provides emergency medical services by helicopter.
In early January this year Sarah Hoffman, minister of health with the NDP government at the time, announced a one-time grant of $1 million to help meet the operating budget for HALO.
Carolan says other than that grant “HALO has received no additional funding since Oct. 1, 2018.”
HALO’s agreement with the provincial government has expired and there is no word on a new one until after the provincial budget is announced on Oct. 24.
HALO’s annual budget is $2.6 million with the BK-117 twin-engine helicopter, and it depends on donations from individuals, organizations and businesses to meet that.
Dale Thacker, co-chair of HALO’s board of directors, has recently said HALO was expecting a funding model like HERO, which operates out of Fort McMurray, where two thirds of the operating cost is covered by government funding.
