Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service/Wikimedia Commons

By Eli J. Ridder

Alberta government signs fresh 10-year contract with STARS air ambulance

Jun 4, 2024 | 1:15 PM

The Alberta government on Tuesday extended its public-private partnership with Shock Trauma Air Rescue Services, known as STARS, via a fresh contract valued at $15 million per year for the next decade.

The new deal will ensure emergency medical services remain available, Premier Danielle Smith said from a STARS base in Calgary.

“Through STARS, we are better able to connect Albertans in rural and remote communities to critical health care services, improving patient outcomes and providing assurance to families,” Smith said.

“This new agreement means Albertans can rely on another 10 years of the iconic, red helicopters with their highly skilled medical professionals responding to crises wherever they happen.”

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WATCH: Alberta government reveals new STARS contract

The fresh contract between Alberta and STARS runs from March 15, 2024, to March 31, 2033, for a total of nine years and two weeks. It will cost the government about $135 million over that time period.

STARS, Alberta’s first rotary air ambulance program, was launched in 1985. Since then, STARS has grown into an award-winning service with a fleet of nine helicopters and bases in three provinces.

Meanwhile, in Medicine Hat, HALO Air Ambulance revealed a new pilot project in partnership with Cypress County that will see the helicopter used to help fight wildfires.

Smith has recently spoken to the importance of the air ambulance services throughout Alberta, shared between HALO, HERO and STARS.

The Alberta government signed contracts with HALO and HERO air ambulance services in 2022. It was the first time HALO received guaranteed funding from the province at $1 million per year.