Ornge expansion will 'transform' air ambulance service in the north

The Ontario Government announced yesterday it will be spending more than $100 million to expand the Ornge air ambulance fleet with the purchase of four new airplanes.

Health Minister Sylvia Jones made the announcement at Greater Sudbury Airport and said the investment will ensure that Ornge, the provincial air ambulance service, can continue to provide essential transportation services to rural and remote communities across the North.

Jones said the announcement is all part of Ontario's Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care.

“Our government recognizes the important role Ornge plays in providing patients with timely access to care, no matter where they live in Ontario,” said Jones. “Investing in new, state-of-the-art planes is another way we are making it faster for Ontarians in rural and remote communities to connect to the care they need, when they need it, for years to come."

She reminded the audience at the Ornge hangar at the Sudbury airport that she was in the city earlier this year to announce the creation of three new health teams, to make access to health care closer and more convenient for Northerners.

Jones said the purchase of new airplanes will do the same.

"Today, I am pleased to announce our government is continuing to take action to connect communities, especially those in Northern and rural Ontario to critically care now and for years to come by investing $108 million to expand Ornge air ambulance fixed-wing fleet, ensuring Ornge can continue to provide safe and consistent air ambulance services."  

The ministry is buying four new Pilatus PC12, a single-engine turboprop made in Switzerland. 

Ornge CEO and President Dr. Homer Tien was also at the announcement ceremony. He said he was pleased with the funding announcement and said it will transform the provincial air service.

"Simply put, this investment will transform Ontario's air ambulance service, particularly in Northeastern Ontario. It'll bring two new highly trained 24/7 Critical Care crews to this region using one of the most versatile, high-performing aircraft in this category," said Tien. 

He explained that the job of Ornge is to provide essential transportation for people who are critically ill, to ensure they can be sent to the cities that have hospitals and care centres to provide the best possible medical treatment.

"These patients are the sickest in Ontario. Ornge is able to provide intensive-care-unit level care during transport. As an organization our mission is this; we save lives; we restore health; create capacity and preserve dignity," said Tien.

He said that's why it is essential to have modern, reliable, robust airplanes that can fly to all areas of the North.

"The PC12 has served Ontarians diligently for over 14 years and is as much at home landing on gravel runways as it is at international airports. It has an outstanding safety record. We are happy to use the next generation of this aircraft for generations to come," said Tien.

He said that was especially important given that Ornge aircraft are regularly dispatched to remote and rural communities in the far north of the province.

“Truly these are the workhorses of our vehicles. Last year fixed-wing air ambulances transported more than 10,000 patients across one million square kilometers of our province. To give you some idea of the distances, the average round trip for our fixed wing air ambulances is just over 1,700 kilometers for one patient,” said Tien.