HALO Air Ambulance and Cypress County have partnered on a multi-year funding model (Photo courtesy of Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA Michaela Glasgo / Facebook)

By Scott Roblin

$300,000 Per Year

HALO, Cypress County partner for multi-year funding through 2023

Mar 24, 2021 | 6:14 PM

DUNMORE, AB – Less than a year ago, HALO Air Ambulance was on their last legs asking for help with the future of their program in jeopardy.

That desperation seems like a distant memory for HALO however, as on Wednesday they finally received government funding in the form of a multi-year partnership with Cypress County.

“This is truly a game changer for us,” said HALO CEO Paul Carolan. “It’s not only the amount, it’s the known contribution year, after year, after year. This has got to rank in the top-three moments for HALO’s history and it’s something that we will always be proud to recognize, and something that we will truly never forget.”

Following Cypress County’s council meeting on Tuesday, a multi-year framework was drafted up between the two groups guaranteeing the long-term viability of the medevac service.

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A one-time investment of $250,000 has been approved for HALO to help the program deal with the financial fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is truly a game changer for us,” said HALO CEO Paul Carolan. “It’s not only the amount, it’s the known contribution year, after year, after year. This has got to rank in the top-three moments for HALO’s history and it’s something that we will always be proud to recognize, and something that we will truly never forget.”

That injection of cash is just for starters however, as $300,000 will be earmarked to HALO each of the next three years totalling over $1.1 million in municipal funding.

“What today does is just quantifies the confidence that Cypress County has in our program,” said Carolan. “It shows that we really believe we’re meant to be here, we offer an incredible life-saving service, and that having the appropriate funding from all levels of government is a critical factor.”

For the vast majority of its almost 14-year run, HALO has been funded by almost exclusively by donations from the public and the business community.

HALO made a plea to the public for support last May after COVID-19 devastated their operations, claiming they would have to permanently ground their helicopters if immediate help was not given.

That sparked a wave of public support that helped HALO weather the financial storm with a record $3.2 million in fundraising last year, while they waited for the province’s Helicopter Emergency Medical Services review.

“This allows HALO to really be deliberate about what we do as far as a yearly plan and fundraising,” said Carolan. “It also looks to the future where we can probably have a little bit more reserve funding to make sure that we never run up to that same buffer again where we have to make announcements like we had to make last year.”

Cypress County will be funding HALO through general taxpayer funds, however reeve Dan Hamilton is confident the multi-year framework for HALO will be greatly supported by residents.

“I think the public are the ones that stepped forward and have shown they want it here,” said Hamilton. “So, we’re just trying to do our step to back it up to make sure that it’s going to stay.”

Provincial funding remains elusive for HALO, who have been pushing the province for years to provide at least a portion of their operational funding.

The UCP government announced medevac services like HALO would be under the Helicopter Emergency Medical Services review in regards to future funding, a report that was set to be released in the fall of 2020.

After numerous delays, the report was received by Health Minister Tyler Shandro’s office in November however was deemed ‘insufficient’ and sent back to Alberta Health Services.

“There’s been a lot of discussion,” said Hamilton. “[Carolan] has put a lot of hours in to get it to this point and so has Cypress County as a council. It’s time for the province to step up, get involved and do their one-third.”

HALO had proposed a public-private funding model with the province and Cypress County, with each entity providing one-third of HALO’s budgeted operating expenses per year.

Carolan is optimistic that Wednesday’s announcement with Cypress County will put some more pressure on the report to be released and for the province to contribute their third.

“This is not a message to the province that they’re off the hook,” said Carolan. “In fact, I think this is a message that’s completely opposite to that. This proves that the program is sustainable and now it’s time to do the right thing, invest in rural Alberta, and make a difference in this part of the province.”

HALO added that this municipal funding will help diversify their own fundraising models, such as the newly announced HALO Lottery which is already 90 percent sold out within the first three weeks.