The Melfort Heliport located outside the hospital has been officially certified by Transport Canada. (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Melfort Heliport

Melfort Heliport gets official approval from Transport Canada

Dec 1, 2020 | 1:58 PM

Almost one full year after the project launched, the Melfort Heliport is officially ready for use by STARS Air Ambulance if needed.

Transport Canada did their inspection and gave approval for the project “late last week,” according to a release from the City of Melfort. The project finished construction in late November.

Back in January, the fundraising campaign for the $600,000 goal was launched. North Central Health Care Foundation (NCHCF) Chair Peggy George said they were hoping to have the project ready by the summer, but that was before COVID-19 hit, causing a bit of a delay in fundraising.

“It was a struggle,” George told northeastNOW. “But we’re just so grateful how the community, and the RM’s, and everyone in this area pulled together and donated.”

According to the release by the City of Melfort, over $750,000 was raised. The excess funds are expected to go back into the NCHCF for future health care needs in the area.

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George said it’s a weight off their shoulders to see this project come to fruition and to see something they care about finally be complete. She said the heliport hopefully never has to be used.

“It would be wonderful if accidents never happen, but they do when we least expect it,” she said. “And to have the availability of a helicopter right there, and able to whisk people off to the trauma centres in the cities, it’s fabulous.”

The project took a number of different parties, including numerous contractors, some of which did the work as part of donating to the project, and George said there wasn’t really doubt they’d get approved by Transport Canada, but there’s always a chance.

“We had hope that our contractors had done their do-diligence, and we the committee, and the city had done what they had to do,” George said. “But you have to wait for that final stamp.”

George said the NCHCF are now working on what the next fundraising effort will be for the foundation, and they will have their commitment list done by the end of the year. She said the list of items needed by various facilities range from $6,000 to $95,000.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6