Cargill has given a $400,000 grant to STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service).

The grant will be used by the not-for-profit air ambulance organization to help purchase nine new, medically-equipped Airbus H145 helicopters at a cost of $13 million each.

The new aircraft will help STARS deliver critical care to patients across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and parts of British Columbia for the next thirty or more years.

“At Cargill the safety of others is guided by our values of putting people first and doing the right thing. Safety extends well beyond our employees to our customers and the communities where we operate,” said Jeff Vassart, President, Cargill Limited. “We are proud to support STARS and the critical emergency care they provide to rural and remote communities when it’s needed most.”

STARS has been flying missions in the new H145 aircraft from two of its bases since mid-2019, and hopes to see the remainder of the new fleet delivered by 2022.

“Our supporters ride along with us on every mission, and we’re so thankful our allies are helping us renew our fleet, particularly through these challenging times, when community support is so critical to our operations,” said Andrea Robertson, STARS President and CEO. “These new aircraft are a generational investment in our ability to fight for the lives of Western Canadians for decades to come, and we’re exceedingly thankful to Cargill for their financial support and leadership.”