STARS moves to Brandon to fill gap after Dauphin hospital closure

STARS air ambulance’s operations are being temporarily relocated from Winnipeg to Brandon to help out in the region after an area hospital was forced to shutter due to flooding.

Prairie Mountain Health said in a notice Monday the move to the Brandon Airport is expected to reduce transport and response times for patients requiring rapid escalation to higher levels of care.

The Dauphin Regional Health Centre was forced to evacuate its patients and close its doors on July 1 after the region experienced severe flooding.

The hospital’s basement flooded and power was knocked out, which caused significant damage to the facility’s HVAC system. The hospital’s kitchen, laundry, pharmacy and equipment sterilization are located in the basement.

Fifty-four patients were sent to nearby health centres, including 24 patients who were transferred to the Brandon hospital.

Experts are assessing the damage this week to determine what is necessary to restore services, the notice said.

STARS provides critical care and patient transfers across Manitoba. In the 2025-26 fiscal year, it flew 1,181 missions in the province, its website states.

STARS spokesperson Blake Robert said in an email the STAR-7 will be stationed at Brandon Airport. Robert did not answer questions about how the repositioning would affect response times elsewhere in the province.

Manitoba has one primary STARS helicopter and crew, and a backup aircraft for major incidents. The air ambulance will remain available to respond to other incidents when needed, a Shared Health spokesperson said. Shared Health is the lead agency coordinating the health system’s flood response.

STARS has been operating in Manitoba since 2012. In July 2025, the province signed a 10-year, $84-million contract with STARS to continue the service in the province.

Premier Wab Kinew previously said he was told the Dauphin health facility may not reopen for nine to 12 months, a situation he called “unacceptable.” He said the province planned to throw a ton of resources into bringing the hospital back online as soon as possible.

The province is working with regional health authorities to secure additional medical supports and expedite repairs at the hospital in order to restore services as quickly as possible, a statement from Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said.

Last week, Dauphin mayor David Bosiak told the Free Press he’s been keeping in touch with the province to stay up to date on assessments and timelines for the hospital’s reopening.

Dauphin remains under a state of local emergency after the Canada Day flooding. The city received about 115 millimetres of rain over three days.

Prairie Mountain’s public notice did not provide a timeline on the hospital’s reopening. It noted blood, X-ray and ECG services would be moved to a temporary setting while repairs are underway. The notice did not provide a date for when a temporary facility would open.

All cancer care services previously provided at a clinic in the Dauphin hospital have moved to new locations, some within Dauphin, and some in other communities.

Hospitals in Ste. Rose du Lac and Grandview have also extended their hours to accommodate patients who would normally seek treatment in Dauphin. Ste. Rose du Lac’s health centre has shifted to 24/7 operations.

— with files from the Brandon Sun

nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca