Manitoba’s sole emergency air ambulance, operated by STARS, has been temporarily repositioned to Brandon to improve response times for communities served by the Dauphin Regional Health Centre, Prairie Mountain Health announced Monday.
Why the move
The relocation follows severe flooding in the Dauphin area about three weeks ago that sent water into the hospital basement, knocked out power and required the evacuation of 54 patients. The hospital is the primary medical hub for the Parkland region and provides emergency, surgical, maternity and other services to roughly 50,000 people within about a 200-kilometre radius.
Prairie Mountain Health said the change of base will "reduce transport and response times" for patients in need of complex, time-sensitive care while the Dauphin facility undergoes repairs. The relocation will continue until further notice.
"reduce transport and response times"
Impact across the province
Moving the helicopter to Brandon aims to maintain access to rapid air transport for western Manitoba, but it carries trade-offs. Officials noted the shift will increase response times for incidents in and around Winnipeg, where the majority of the provincial population lives.
Premier Wab Kinew has said he was told hospital repairs could take about nine to 12 months, though he has signalled a desire to accelerate that timetable. Local residents have raised concerns about how the Dauphin closure will affect emergency care in a city of more than 8,000 people.
- Primary aim: shorten transport and response times for Parkland region patients
- Consequence: longer response times for Winnipeg-area emergencies
- Duration: relocation in place until further notice; hospital repairs timeline estimated at 9–12 months
Services and temporary measures
The health authority also announced a plan to restore some community-based services in Dauphin during repairs. Blood draws, X-ray and electrocardiogram (ECG) services are to resume at a temporary location within the community, though no detailed timeline was provided in the public notice.
| Service | Current status |
|---|---|
| Emergency department | Closed (facility under repair) |
| Air ambulance base | Temporarily relocated from Winnipeg to Brandon |
| Laboratory/diagnostic services | Plans to restore blood draws, X-ray, ECG at temporary site in Dauphin |
For residents in western Manitoba, the repositioning of the air ambulance is intended to preserve access to rapid transport for critically ill or injured patients while the primary hospital undergoes restoration work. For Winnipeg and surrounding areas, the relocation adds a layer of operational strain that could lengthen air transport times for serious cases.
Health officials said they will keep the public informed about service restorations and the status of the Dauphin Regional Health Centre as repairs progress.
