Mayors and community leaders are calling on the province to provide more funding for a regional helicopter medevac program operating in southern Alberta.
HALO, the only dedicated medevac helicopter for southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan, is supported through government grants and public donations.
The service's current contract with Alberta Health Services is set to expire next month but officials are looking for $750,000 in additional funding to keep them going until a new contract can be signed.
Officials say HALO provides an essential service in the region and the government should continue to support the program even while it provides millions to STARS Air Ambulance and fixed-wing aircraft services.
"We had a meeting in Taber about a month ago and the biggest concern there was the lack of government funding for HALO compared to STARS," said Lethbridge County reeve Lorne Hickey.
In 2018, the province provided $1 million of HALO's $2.6 million annual budget.
Paul Carolan, HALO's director of funding, says the organization has never seen any other provincial funding aside from that one-time payment.
"That's the biggest piece that's missing. We are getting some incredible support at the moment from mayors and reeves to make sure they are pushing that agenda forward alongside with us."
They also want the government to conduct a review of the province's helicopter EMS system.
HALO has flown over 250 missions since its inception in 2017.
More information can be found online.
