AltaLink’s $1.2 million gift a generational investment in the health and safety of Western Canadian communities

Press Release

CALGARY, ALBERTA (April 28, 2022) – A generous $1.2 million donation from AltaLink is helping STARS reach its ambitious fundraising goal for the multi-year capital campaign to renew its fleet of air ambulance helicopters.

The Keep the Fight in Flight campaign was launched in 2018 to renew STARS’ fleet of aging aircraft with nine Airbus H145 helicopters, at a cost of $13 million each.

“There is nothing more important to us at AltaLink than safety. Our teams work 24/7, often in remote areas, to deliver the energy that Albertans need, when they need it most,” said Gary Hart, President and Chief Operating Officer, AltaLink. “STARS can turn a tragic event into a life-saving one, so we’re incredibly proud to support the important work they do and ensure that STARS can continue to deliver critical care that communities need for many years to come.”

As a non-profit charity, STARS relies on its donors to help achieve excellence and drive innovation in critical care. AltaLink’s gift will ensure anyone who needs assistance will continue to receive the best in emergency critical care, with the latest in flight and technical capabilities offered by the new H145.

“With this generous gift to our fleet renewal initiative, AltaLink is truly making a generational investment in the health and safety of the communities we serve, helping us deliver critical care to patients living, working or playing in rural and remote areas for decades to come,” said Andrea Robertson, STARS President and CEO.

STARS has flown hundreds of missions in the new helicopters since receiving its first H145 aircraft in 2019. Thanks to the support from donors like AltaLink, the renewed fleet will be implemented at all six STARS bases across Western Canada later this year.

“Our supporters ride along with us on every mission, and now they are helping us build the next STARS fleet,” said Robertson. “We’re incredibly grateful to AltaLink for their financial support to help us reach our goal.”

About AltaLink
Headquartered in Calgary, with offices in Edmonton, Red Deer and Lethbridge, AltaLink is Alberta’s largest electricity transmission provider. AltaLink is partnering with its customers to provide innovative solutions to meet the province’s demand for reliable and affordable energy. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, AltaLink is part of a global group of companies delivering energy services to customers worldwide.

About STARS
Simply put, STARS fights for life. Since we embarked on our first mission in 1985, we’ve been driven by the goal of providing people the vital care they need when they need it the most. Whether it’s offering hands-on training to rural medical providers or providing rapid, emergency medical transportation for the critically ill and injured, we operate 24/7 from bases in Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg, anticipating and acting when people need our help. Learn more at STARS.CA

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For more information please contact:

Amanda Sadleir
Manager, Communications
AltaLink Management Ltd.
Phone: 403.585.7289
E-mail: amanda.sadleir@altalink.ca

Mark Oddan
STARS
Phone: 1-833-234-7275
E-mail: mediainfo@stars.ca

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