A HALO helicopter searches the South Saskatchewan River near Strathcona Island Park in 2017. - NEWS FILE PHOTO
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
City hall will meet a HALO donation request of a half million dollars per year until the end of 2024, but could also gain some say in the rescue helicopter service’s operating budget and priorities, it was decided by council on Monday.
The non-profit group had requested ongoing annual support of $500,000 over five years as part of a group of municipalities in southeast Alberta that provide base budget support.
Council unanimously approved a staff recommendation to provide the amount over the next two years – the term of the current city budget – and continue to lobby the province for additional support.
“It’s a milestone for our program,” said Paul Carolan, executive director of HALO, who attended Monday’s meeting and made the request in late June.
“The financial contribution is considerable, but having the city on board as a stakeholder is really key. It’s an additional part of their support that they are advocating to the province and making sure we have a consistent message coming out of this area.”
The new $1 million budget will come out operating reserves in the current budget, which expires at the end of 2024, and considers including the item in the 2025-26 budget when it is presented late next year.
Councillors approved the motion unanimously, voicing support for the work done by the medical rescue helicopter, but with some concerns.
“It’s difficult to dispute the value that HALO brings,” said Coun. Robert Dumanowski, who argued that as a requirement of funding other outside organizations, the city receives some financial reporting and has some sort of liaison to help evaluate performance.
Eventually, the city will need to determine future support, and will need some frame of reference, he said.
“They have a board and I don’t want to interrupt what they’re doing, but the public would be well served knowing that $500,000 of their money comes with some reporting.”
“And I’d like to see increased conversations with the province that they’re feeling an appropriate amount of heat on their end of the funding.”
Coun. Darren Hirsch also supported the motion with concerns about precedent of city supporting an outside entity when many worthy causes are stretched financially.
Coun. Alison Van Dyke said her concern is providing municipal funds to an area, like health, which is technically a provincial area of responsibility.
“Despite my reservations, I’ll support it,” she said.
Councillors speaking in favour agreed with HALO and city staff’s position that the service is valuable for city residents who need medical evacuation from rural areas or after highway accidents.
The city provides funding to a number of outside groups each year, including the Medicine Hat Public Library, and pays a fee to hold membership in associations like the Palliser Economic Partnership, but that comes with board representation and a measure of budget control.
Cypress County currently provides $300,000 per year in funding in a group of municipalities that the society has solicited donations, but that agreement is set to end in 2023. The County of Newell also provides annual funding.
Those and other municipalities form a stable and sizable portion of the group’s $3 million annual operating budget, while it is currently in talks with the Alberta Health Ministry about the province funding up to half the operating budget.
