A HALO helicopter approaches the landing pad at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital in this file photo. The city is contemplating helping the air ambulance service with $500,000 in annual funding over the next two years.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
The city could meet a request from HALO air rescue for annual funding over the next two years, but not consider longer-term support before the next city budget is debated, according to a staff recommendation at city hall.
Last month the society that operates the rescue and medical transport service in the region requested the city join a list of regional municipal donors and provide an annual grant of $500,000 for the next five years.
Monday’s public service committee heard that after analysis, staffers found the service is valuable to urban residents, and $1 million spread over this year and next could be found in operating reserve funds.
Council will debate the issue at the July 17 council meeting, where Coun. Cassi Hider said she hopes council lends support.
“The work they do is important and I support providing as much help to them as we can,” she said.
When HALO officials appeared before council last month, executive director Paul Carolyn said the group continues to fund raise, and the group’s new partial funding agreement with the province is a positive. But, he said, stable funding from the municipalities where it operates provides a crucial part of its budget.
At the time, a majority of councillors noted their personal support for the project, but also raised questions about the city moving in to financially support health issues, which are a provincial responsibility.
As well, Medicine Hat provides funding to other outside groups, but that includes some measure of board representation or budget control.
“My concern is that when we provide operating funds to a nonprofit (agency), how sustainable is it” committee chair, Coun. Ramona Robins asked Monday.
Funds would be provided out of the city’s operating reserve for the 2023 and 2024 budget years, but further support would need new approval in the next two-year budget cycle, covering 2025 and 2026, that will be debated late next year.
The city would also continue to advocate on HALO’s behalf to provincial government.
City officials confirmed HALO’s stance that about one-fifth of its flights are inside Medicine Hat, which forms one frame of consideration for Medicine Hat’s contribution,.
But, staff argue, mission volume is not high since 80 per cent of flights in Medicine Hat involve patient transfers, while the remainder are initiated by Medicine Hat police or fire service, or involve search and rescue activities.
A new agreement with the province provides HALO the opportunity to recapture about half its operating expenses from Alberta Health Services – a marked change from previous years when the province paid on a “per-call” basis, but provided no base operating funds.
But, a big portion still comes from large corporations and an effort to bring on towns, cities and counties as sustaining donors.
Current municipal funding comes from Cypress County ($300,000 per year until 2026), the County of Newell ($100,000 per year), Forty Mile ($75,000) and Special Areas No. 2 ($35,000). Six other towns and counties in HALO’s operational range are also being asked for financial support.
In Alberta, helicopter ambulance service is provided in most of the province by STARS air ambulance with the exception of the southeast, where HALO was created in the mid-2000s, and around Fort McMurray, where another regional service, known as HERO operates.
In 2022 Premier Jason Kenney announced that ongoing operational support would be provided after his government shelved recommendations in a review calling for a single provider in the province to be STARS.
That resulted in AHS providing about 40 per cent of the HALO budget in 2022, and negotiations are ongoing toward the 2023 amount, said Carolan.
The operation’s annual budget has risen from $1 million to $3.4 million is recent years as HALO upgraded its helicopter model to one certified to conduct night missions and access roof-top helipads, like the one at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital.
