A STARS Air Ambulance helicopter was dispatched to Stonewall on April 14, 2026, to assist with an urgent medical transfer. The crew, operating out of the Winnipeg base, was called to the community around 11:24 a.m. to perform an interfacility transport for a patient requiring specialized care.
The STARS service functions as a mobile intensive care unit, carrying a specialized team that includes two pilots, a critical care nurse, and a critical care paramedic. The organization uses Airbus H145 helicopters to provide 24/7 emergency medical support across Manitoba. Since beginning operations in the province in 2012, the service has completed more than 5,000 missions, averaging about two flights per day.
For residents of Stonewall, a town of approximately 5,000 people, the air ambulance is a vital link to tertiary medical facilities in Winnipeg. The importance of this service to rural communities was highlighted in 2025, when the Manitoba government signed a 10-year, $84 million contract to continue supporting these critical operations.
Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara has noted that the government views the ongoing partnership with the air ambulance provider as a key investment in strengthening rural healthcare services. The provincial health authority, Shared Health, works alongside the service to coordinate these essential emergency transfers.
