New 10-year deal with STARS air ambulance much cheaper than 2012 deal

The province has inked an $84-million contract with STARS Air Ambulance in which the private service will provide emergency medical care and transport to Manitobans for another decade.

“For rural Manitobans, the iconic red helicopters have become a symbol of rapid response and of expert care. They represent hope when the unthinkable happens,” Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said Thursday afternoon as they announced the contract from the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service hangar near the Winnipeg airport.

“Every single dollar in this agreement is more than well spent, and it allows for us as a government to continue to invest in rural health care in a meaningful way.”

The deal represents a nearly 50 per cent reduction in cost from the first 10-year STARS contract, signed with the Alberta-based non-profit and charity in 2012 for $159 million.

The parties agreed to a two-year extension in 2022. The province was unable to clarify the cost of that contract before deadline Thursday.

Asagwara did not explain how the new deal was negotiated at such a favourable price, but stressed there will be no reduction in service despite the lower expense.

“The standards in this agreement are actually enhanced,” the minister said. “Nothing lost. Only more gained for Manitoba.”

Dr. John Froh, president and CEO of STARS, said the service operates year-round and provides emergency care and transport throughout the province.

“Our partnership with the Manitoba government has been critical to our long-term success,” Froh said. “We’ve continued to answer the call when someone needs critical care, no matter where they are.”

A typical flight crew is staffed by critical care nurses and paramedics who are supported by on-call transport physicians. A pair of pilots is deployed on each flight, Froh said.

He said the service operates with the cutting-edge in medical flight technology, including an on-board ultrasound system that is the only one of its kind in Canada.

Like Asagwara, Froh said service will be enhanced under the new contract.

“We’re bringing more blood products on board, we’re utilizing more virtual care technology… We’re very excited to see where we can adapt that to the province of Manitoba,” he said.

The Manitoba Allied Health Care Providers criticized the deal. President Jason Linklater said rural Manitobans are suffering under a protracted paramedic staffing crisis.

“STARS can’t make up for that; they can’t respond to every call, and the service they provide, while essential, is very expensive,” Linklater said in a statement.

“Furthermore, STARS rarely responds until Shared Health paramedics on the ground request them. The problem is that those paramedics are so thin on the ground that they can take an hour or longer to respond to 911 calls.”

The union leader called for the province to invest in the public system and hire the new 200 paramedics pledged by the New Democratic Party during its 2023 election campaign.

Speaking to the Free Press shortly after that election, Asagwara said the government was reviewing the potential return of a publicly delivered air-ambulances program.

The former Tory government began decommissioning the Lifeflight air ambulance service in 2019, and in late 2020, STARS assumed an expanded role.

Asked about that review Thursday, the minister said sticking with STARS is the right choice.

“It was a decision that made really good sense and allows for us to, again, focus our energy and resources on strengthening and fixing other areas of health care,” Asagwara said. “A relationship with STARS, a renewed agreement, actually strengthens our public health-care system.”

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca