Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today will be for the Minister of Health and Social Services. A couple of months ago the issue of the Edmonton city airport closure and how it affected our medevac flights was brought into the House and discussed here by some of the Members, and we did get some solid responses back from the Minister of Health. Most recently, updates to the Edmonton city urban site, or website, and I quote, “The city will continue to offer land at the City Centre Airport for use of Alberta Health Services to support helipads for medevac services.” It goes on to say there will be major development and redevelopment in the future, but it does not talk about fixed-wing development. Can the Minister, as he was promising back then, give us an update as to what’s happening right now in the city of Edmonton with medevac services?
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our deputy minister has been meeting with the Alberta Health and Wellness people and they last met in April of this past year. They had indicated that they had promised that they would provide us with some continual updates as things change at the Municipal Airport as they go for closing the Municipal Airport. Recently the DM has asked if she could participate in the Transition Advisory Committee at Alberta Health and Wellness, but we have not received a response on that yet. Thank you.
It’s promising to hear that we’ve got some steps in place. I heard the word “transition,” which is good to hear. In our previous discussions, there was talk about the Edmonton/Villeneuve or Edmonton Garrison Airport as potential alternative destination for medevac flights from the Northwest Territories, including northern Alberta and northern BC. Has the Minister made strides in this area to see if that could be secured earlier, while we’re waiting for Edmonton to come up with a battle plan?
I’m not aware of any discussions with the Garrison Airport since the time that was brought up. I had recently met with the retired nurses from Alberta and the NWT; they were not aware of that as well. We spoke a bit about that. So I could get some updated information on the Garrison Airport and provide that information to the Member.
Thank you to the Minister. Recent public consultation workshops have ended here in Edmonton and they have claimed that by November of this year, November 2012, they are going to have what is called a Redevelopment Master Plan. As I said, in the website, they’re talking about still maintaining helipads for emergency services but did not talk anything about fixed wings. Can the Minister indicate if there is some type of master plan where emergency services are still going to be offered with heli services, and will there be some changes potentially in how our patients will be delivered in the downtown corridor of Edmonton?
At this time their plan is to move our medevacs to the international airport. At this time there is no plan to continue to keep a strip open at the Municipal Airport. However, like I have indicated, our deputy minister is continuing to have discussions to see if that is a possibility. They are currently using some flights that are going to the international airport as a backup for the Municipal Airport, and it’s been working fine. So far it seems like individuals have a fear that the international airport is a long way out. I think it’s about 45 minutes, and that could mean a matter of life or death. We’re continuing to talk with Alberta Health and Wellness, who are dealing with the City of Edmonton.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I couldn’t agree more. I think people are gravely concerned with the distance of the Edmonton International Airport, and trying to get loved ones and people who need medevac services as quick as possible to the hospitals. I think that’s the big question here. I’m hearing about, we’re part of a Transition Advisory Committee, but it seems that we’re working on the mercy of Edmonton and Alberta Health and Wellness. Does this government, does this department have a transition plan? Are we using alternative sites? Are we using alternative hospitals, Grande Prairie, other areas of that nature, to come up with a plan in the event something does not work out for the benefit of the Northwest Territories? Do we have a plan? Because I haven’t heard one yet.
As I indicated, the DM has asked to sit on the Transition Advisory Committee. What I can do is go back to the deputy minister to see if we have worked out some sort of plan with the City of Edmonton or Alberta Health and Wellness, to see if there is a plan that will support our medevacs, to see if there is an alternative closer to the uptown, such as Garrison or that some emergency may be kept open. I can have that information for the Member before the end of session.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
