PRRD discusses supporting STARS with three-year funding commitment

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The regional district has begun working on a new multi-year funding agreement with a helicopter emergency transport organization. 

During the September 18th meeting, the Peace River Regional District board of directors reviewed a letter from STARS, an air medical emergency transportation service operating across the country, about grants-in-aid of funding.

STARS explained it was concerned about the PRRD’s health-related services grant-in-aid policy, which sets a maximum funding cap of $75,000 per applicant, which it says would negatively affect the STARS base in Grande Prairie, which supports northeast B.C. 

“We rely on steadfast partners like you and embrace an unwavering partnership that spans 19 years,” the letter stated. 

“Since 2007, [the] PRRD has continued to stand by our side, providing constant operational funding for our northern STARS base at an increased rate of $170,000 per year since 2013.”

The letter noted the PRRD’s most recent funding pledge provided $510,000 in total funding over three years, and expired in 2025. 

Darryl Krakowka, director and mayor of the District of Tumbler Ridge, raised his support for STARS.

“I think when we have a life-saving organization that we have used within our region, our residents have, I am committed to a three-year funding [agreement] today,” Krakowka said. 

“It shows our residents [that we are] supporting life-saving opportunity, when it comes to having an aircraft available… at any location in the Peace region.”

This discussion comes a few weeks after Northern Health announced critical changes to the on-call and weekend hours of the Tumbler Ridge Health Centre’s emergency department due to a “lack of available staff” and concerns about stable coverage during the centre’s operating hours of weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

While the health authority later announced the changes would be temporary while it worked with the community on finding a more permanent solution, a death has already occurred while a resident was being transported to the Dawson Creek and District Hospital on September 6th. 

In response to Krakowka’s statement, Darcy Dober, director and mayor of the City of Dawson Creek, stated he might have “some other information” that he could not talk about in public, and requested the meeting be moved to a closed meeting before any more discussion could take place. 

A closed meeting is defined by the provincial government as a gathering held off camera, in contrast to all other assemblies of local government and appointed bodies which must be open to the public. 

Provincial legislation dictates that while discussions surrounding bylaws or decisions can be held in closed meetings, decisions cannot be made or voted upon outside the eyes of the public.  

When asked by staff, Dober stated the discussion should be conducted in a closed meeting due to “government relations,” which was approved by staff. 

Following an approximately 20-minute off-camera discussion, the directors returned and unanimously voted to move forward with Krakowka’s motion that PRRD funding for STARS in 2026 be altered to a three-year commitment from 2026 to 2028, with $170,000 in funding provided each year. 

A delegation from STARS will be appearing before the board on October 2nd to discuss the previous years’ activity in the region and present a formal funding request for the PRRD.

To read the complete letter sent by STARS to the PRRD, see below.