A Manitoba air ambulance program has been grounded indefinitely, with the province blaming a lack of pilots.

But the union representing those operators alleges positions were purposely left vacant to serve a Progressive Conservative goal to privatize the service.

Southern Air Ambulance serves patients who would otherwise need an ambulance ride longer than 2.5 hours to reach their destinations, including the communities of Dauphin, Swan River, Russell, Virden, Roblin and Deloraine. Its service aims to reduce the risk of patient travel and cut the time ground ambulances are taken away from answering other calls.

Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen said the province values the program and isn’t deliberately fueling the pilot shortage. Instead, he said it’s proven tough to retain pilots.

“Certainly, from a Manitoba Health perspective, we support that program and we want to see that program continue ... I believe there will be an effort to recruit those pilots,” said Goertzen.

However, the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union argues the suspension was avoidable.

“They have refused to fill any of the pilot positions that come up due to retirements or people moving ... The service has been starved of people to provide it, to the point now that they shut it down,” said Michelle Gawronsky, MGEU’s president. “I’d be concerned for patients because we know that if you’re going to seek the fastest route, it would be through air.”

Gawronsky said she expects the province will see backlash from potential patients, which she alleges government will use to justify rushing the privatization of the service.

“They’ll give it to a private entity under the claim that they don’t have time to be getting anything (public) in place,” said Gawronsky.

The province has issued an expression of interest to explore whether private companies could take over all or part of the province’s public fleet of air ambulances and water bombers. Southern Air Ambulance wasn’t included in that EOI because the province is separately considering outsourcing it to private carriers.

Goertzen confirmed private contractors are being considered.

“That’s part of the discussion that has to happen. We need to look at options,” he said.

Gawronsky believes emergency medical service workers will be hard pressed to fill the air ambulance service gap, since a past study estimated Manitoba is currently short about 400 rural paramedics.

Manitoba’s infrastructure department confirmed 336 flights were completed through the program in 2015/16 before its pause.

The department confirmed four of eight pilot positions are currently vacant, with the remainder working on Manitoba Hydro‘s Thompson-based flights.

Since the air ambulance served stable patients, the province believes emergency air services aren’t affected. STARS and Lifeflight services are still operating.

jpursaga@postmedia.com

Twitter: @pursagawpgsun