STARS provides emergency critical care across Western Canada through a fleet of 10 Airbus H145 helicopters, ground-based services, and virtual care capabilities. Founded in 1985 as a single-helicopter operation in Calgary, the organisation has expanded to six operational bases spanning Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, completing over 66,000 missions and averaging approximately ten missions daily.
The service operates with medical crews comprising doctors, nurses, and paramedics trained to deliver critical care in flight and on the ground. STARS was the first civilian air carrier in Canada to adopt night-vision goggles for nighttime operations and the first air medical service in Canada to stock blood for in-flight transfusions, reflecting its focus on expanding emergency care capabilities.
Beyond air ambulance services, STARS operates the Emergency Link Centre for virtual emergency care and manages the VIGILANT programme, which provides emergency communications for industrial workers. The organisation relies on a combination of government funding, donations, sponsorships, and grants, with a dedicated foundation supporting its mission.
