The County of Grande Prairie is giving STARS a gift of $500,000 toward a new H145 helicopter to serve County of Grande Prairie residents and the entire northern region.

 “Many of us know or have experienced firsthand the lifesaving power of STARS support,” said County of Grande Prairie Reeve Leanne Beaupre. “We understand how large of an investment is required for this crucial and lifesaving resource to remain viable, which is why the County is proud to continue supporting this critical health service for our region. We trust that Alberta Health Services’ current review of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services will ensure that northwestern Alberta maintains the first class level of service that we have come to expect with STARS air ambulance.”

STARS has a plan to replace their aircraft fleet with nine medically equipped Airbus H145 helicopters. Much of their current fleet has become obsolete and expensive to maintain.

The new fleet is expected to be complete by the year 2020.

“STARS was built by the community for the community, and now our supporters are helping us build our next fleet,” said Andrea Robertson, STARS president and CEO. “These new aircraft are an investment in our ability to serve the people of northern Alberta and across Western Canada for decades to come, and we’re incredibly grateful to the County of Grande Prairie for helping us get closer to our goal.”

In addition to the cost of the new helicopters, each STARS base costs $10 million a year to run, and relies on donations from individuals, clubs, municipalities, the Government of Alberta and fundraisers to keep going.