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By Chantal Wagner

Provincial responsibility

City unable to financially support HALO

May 20, 2020 | 4:31 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The city of Medicine Hat will not be pitching in money to help HALO air ambulance as they struggle to stay in flight.

HALO said last week they are weeks away from having to scale down operations due to funding drying up during the pandemic.

And could see an end to medevac service in the region by July 1 if there is no change to the funding model.

The city had a meeting with Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes on Tuesday night.

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Mayor Ted Clugston says they reiterated the fact that all Albertans should be treated the same and funding should come from the province.

“So a citizen in Calgary should no more have a helicopter service than a resident in Medicine Hat, Burstall, Oyen, and we wanted to make that very clear that it’s not appropriate. But this has been going on for 13 years now so I can’t really blame the former PC’s, the former NDP, or the UCP.”

HALO has reached out to the province to fund its complete budget over a six-month period, totaling $3 million to remain flying this summer.

Clugston says it’s unfortunate what has happened and supports HALO’s request for provincial funding.

But says the city will not be helping, as they don’t have that kind of money to keep HALO afloat.

“This is not a municipal issue frankly. I mean I recognize that HALO serves the municipality, but it is a healthcare and frankly, the city of Medicine Hat cannot afford to subsidize a provincial responsibility to the tune of their operating budget close to $2.8-$2.9-million per year.”

MLA Barnes said last week he was informed that the program will not receive any provincial funds.

Clugston says he has been assured that there won’t be any interruption in service, “What that means I don’t know, STARS could take over but a lot has to be determined.”

HALO has not been able to access provincial funding and has been fully funded through community donations since 2007.