Photo by Curtis Galbraith

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

Grande Prairie City Council to discuss pair of funding requests from STARS

May 3, 2021 | 9:50 PM

City Council has sent a pair of funding requests from STARS to the committee level for more discussion and for administration to look at possible funding sources.

STARS went before council to ask the city to go back to providing $50,000 per year in operational funding plus an additional $250,000 request to be spread over five years to help pay for a new helicopter. It also wants STARS recognized as an essential part of Protective Services.

Glenda Farnden with STARS in Grande Prairie says the $50,000 a year in operational funding had been part of the city Protective Services budget for 11 years.

“We have seen some fluctuation and we have seen reductions twice in funding, which is not providing that reliable, sustainable support that our small base requires. We are very fortunate that our base is a part of the whole province-wide service.”

The city cut its contribution to $35,000 per year in 2019 and 2020, then to $25,000 in 2021. It had been $50,000 per year from 2007 through 2018.

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Farnden adds the pandemic has meant a revenue loss as fundraisers like the Hanger Dance and three golf tournaments could not go ahead.

“Without all of these that have not been able to be held and we do not know when (they can go ahead) for the unforeseeable future. It is quite the financial impact on our local base.”

Farnden says in years prior to 2020, those events had brought in $600,000.

She adds STARS has answered calls from “a lot” of communities about COVID patients needing a higher level of care and STARS transport physicians are providing medical oversight for COVID patients that need to go to Edmonton, even the ones not transported by STARS.

Farnden says the pandemic has also meant a rise in stress-related calls like heart attacks and strokes

Farnden adds they are still trying to raise $4 million to help pay for training for local pilots, new tools and ground control equipment, as well as the cost of the helicopter.

“To date, from the northern region municipalities, we have raised about $1.7 million and with an additional $1 million that has come from two corporate sector companies that have designated their contributions directly towards the Grande Prairie H145.”

Farnden says the new helicopter should be here this fall.

In the meantime, they are working on some fundraisers that can be held like online events, including one called GOLF for STARS. They are also working with some local farmers on a fundraiser called GROW for STARS.