Alberta Renews 10-Year Agreement with STARS Air Ambulance

STARS, June 09, 2024 - On June 4, STARS welcomed Premier Danielle Smith, Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health Martin Long, and representatives from Alberta Health Services, to the STARS Calgary base to announce a new 10-year funding agreement with the Alberta government.

STARS President & CEO Katherine Emberly said “We are deeply grateful for the continued support from the Government of Alberta, enabling us to provide life-saving care wherever it’s needed across the province, for many years to come. Our roots run deep in Alberta, and for nearly 40 years, we’ve relied on the unwavering support from our government partners and the communities we serve to grow, evolve and deliver on our mission, every day,” said

This funding provides stability for our operations and will enable STARS to continue to provide critical care, anywhere to those who need it all across the province, for years to come.

We look forward to continuing to work with our partners at the Province of Alberta and Alberta Health Services and are incredibly grateful for the support.

Elevating emergency medical service response

Alberta Government - Air ambulances play a critical role in Alberta’s health care system. They serve as vital lifelines, bridging geographical barriers and providing quick access to specialized care during medical emergencies. Their rapid response capabilities and ability to swiftly transport patients to medical facilities can often mean the difference between life and death.

The government is committed to delivering exceptional emergency air rescue services to Albertans and has entered a 10-year contract with Shock Trauma Air Rescue Services (STARS). The new contract will ensure emergency medical services (EMS) remain available across the province. STARS has been instrumental in delivering fast and effective emergency medical response services to Albertans, especially those who live in rural and remote communities, and this agreement ensures this will continue.

Danielle Smith, Premier , said “Every Albertan deserves access to the best-quality health care, no matter where they are in our province, and STARS helps us provide that. 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. 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.”

This performance-based agreement marks a significant milestone in the province's commitment to ensuring timely access to life-saving care for Albertans. Equipped with a fleet of air ambulances and highly skilled medical personnel, STARS holds a unique position, able to tackle the challenges of delivering emergency medical services across the province. The partnership will leverage the expertise and operational excellence of STARS to optimize response times and improve patient outcomes in communities where access to health care services is limited.

Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health said “We are proud to announce this partnership with STARS, which represents a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to strengthen emergency medical services in remote and rural areas. This 10-year contract underscores our commitment to ensuring that all Albertans have access to timely and high-quality health care, when and where they need it.”

This long-term collaboration with STARS is a commitment by Alberta’s government to ensure Albertans, particularly those in rural and remote communities, have an EMS system that responds effectively to medical emergencies.

STARS has a proven track record of delivering exceptional care under challenging circumstances, and this partnership will reinforce its position as a cornerstone of Alberta’s EMS network. The new contract aims to set new standards for emergency medical response and improve outcomes for patients across the province by stabilizing air ambulance services and strengthening health care delivery across Alberta.

Martin Long, parliamentary secretary for rural health said “Albertans across the province face challenges accessing health care. In locations with limited road infrastructure, air ambulance operations are critical to support urgent and emergent health care needs. This 10-year contract will provide a new era of resilience and preparedness in communities.”

Katherine Emberly, president and CEO, STARS said “We are deeply grateful for the continued support from the Government of Alberta, enabling us to provide life-saving care wherever it’s needed across the province, for many years to come. Our roots run deep in Alberta, and for nearly 40 years, we’ve relied on the unwavering support from our government partners and the communities we serve to grow, evolve and deliver on our mission, every day.”

Alberta air ambulance service

- STARS is a helicopter air ambulance organization that provides rapid and specialized emergency medical care and transportation for critically ill and injured patients.
- STARS operates its own dispatch centre, the Emergency Link Centre, at the Calgary International Airport, which dispatches all helicopter ambulance flights in Alberta. STARS dispatch works closely with provincial air and ground ambulance dispatch and the rest of the provincial emergency medical services system.
- STARS attends emergencies and interfacility patient transfers frequently, upon request by EMS crews and other first responders.
- STARS provides air ambulance services from bases in Calgary, Edmonton and Grande Prairie. It functions as its own rotary-wing aircraft provider and supplies its own air medical crews made up of specially trained flight paramedics, flight nurses and transport physicians.