By Hayley Ferguson

HALO Hopeful

Cypress County joins forces with HALO to advocate for stable funding

Oct 24, 2019 | 6:07 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – On Monday when Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA Michaela Glasgo asked the minister of health Tyler Shandro about HALO air ambulance in the legislature he had nothing but praise.

“As I’ve said before, HALO is a great community partnership, and I expect it to continue. AHS is going to review all of the helicopter partners to make sure that they’re funded fairly based on their distinct roles” he replied.

Despite that, HALO’s name was once again left off of the provincial budget.

Something they’ve experienced since they first took flight in 2007.

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“We’ve always had incredible grassroots support the missing piece has been the partnership with the provincial government,” said Paul Carolan, HALO’s director of funding.

Funding has been sporadic for HALO and never consistent. Relying mostly on the government on a ‘fee for service’ program and a one time grant of $1 million last year.

Everything else comes from private donations and fundraising.

With the purchase of a new twin-engine helicopter thanks to the one time grant, Carolan said that their annual operating costs have almost tripled to $2.6 million.

Because of those costs, Carolan says that as late as last week they weren’t sure what the future held for the.

“I think the big thing is there’s a lot of rumours about HALO’s status and what was going to happen. And there were a lot of numbers being thrown around. And I think the one that was most common was this $750,000 deficit,” he said.

With the help of Rangeland Helicopter’s Les Little, Carolan says that they will be able to cover that cost.

“We’ve made a deal with Les where he’s going to let us work on that over the next three or four years. And that’s why we talk a lot about him as a champion of the program,” Carolan said.

Carolan said that will also mean HALO will be able to continue into 2020.

Another means of support beyond that is Cypress County.

“Everybody should be treated fairly. We should all have the same care given to us. Whether you’re just traveling through or whether you live here you need to be known you’re taking care of,” said Reeve Dan Hamilton.

That’s why last week the county council voted to help advocate for HALO to the province.

“When we have a unanimous decision from council that says let’s do whatever we can to help them out, we pick up our tools and we go to work,” said county councillor Robin Kurpjuweit.

Kurpjuweit says that since the vote they have been able to meet with provincial officials.

Which he says has made everyone involved optimistic.

“Over the last five days we’ve had a lot of really great conversations with the southern Alberta MLAs talking about the importance of that,” he continue.

While HALO may not have gotten the funding on Thursday they were hoping for, Kurpjuweit says that they will not be giving up their efforts in securing some kind of consistent provincial funding.

“We’ll continue to hold the province to account and say let’s find ways that we can work together and provide services. Even when we’re trying ways to cut on spending, there are services that are still worth spending on. When you’re in HALO country you know that you’re covered.”