The Manitoba government is looking into privatizing provincial air services, including medevac flights and water bombers.
Provincial infrastructure minister Ron Schuler announced the government’s plan this week to issue a request for proposals for consultants to see if selling Manitoba’s Air Services Branch would help the province’s bottom line.
“We are looking to see if we can achieve better value for Manitobans’ money through an upcoming request for proposal process,” said Schuler in a press release.
No official decision one way or another – toward keeping the Air Service Branch government owned, selling part or all of it – has been made or is likely to be made in the near future.
“Our government is exploring ways to continue to provide essential provincial air services, while ensuring the same level of service, availability, safety and security for all Manitobans is maintained – if not improved upon,” said Schuler.
Flin Flon MLA Tom Lindsey is concerned about the concept of privatized water bombers and medevac flights.
“It’s a service that is essential, even by definition in their acts, it’s an essential service,” he said, adding that adding a profit motive to vital emergency services could impact how Manitoba deals with wildfires and medical emergencies.
“Private enterprise needs to make money. They’re going to take the water bombers and go somewhere else where they can make money. All of a sudden, we’d need water bombers and they might not necessarily be available. It’s a cost to the province, but it’s an essential cost.”
Manitoba’s Air Services Branch currently maintains a fleet of 22 fully owned aircraft, including 11 water bombers. A network of private carriers is used for some duties. The Air Services Branch employs 91 people, including pilots, dispatchers, mechanics and vital maintenance staff.
It’s a move the province has been considering for almost a year. Last April, documents obtained by CBC showed the province giving Manitoba Health permission to test the market for Air Services Branch properties.
