Ornge is adding two new Pilatus PC-24 jets and building a new hangar in Simcoe County, part of a $93-million investment from the Ontario government to boost emergency services.
The investment aims to better connect Ornge with people in northern and rural communities.
“Our government recognizes the critical role Ornge plays in providing patients with timely access to critical care services, no matter where they live in Ontario,” said Sylvia Jones, deputy premier and minister of health, in a release.
“Through another record investment in Ornge, our government is continuing to make it faster for Ontarians to connect to the care they need, when they need it, for years to come.”
The new PC-24 jets will augment Ornge’s existing fleet of eight smaller PC-12 turboprops and 12 Leonardo AW139 helicopters. The government is also planning to increase the number of PC-12s in Ornge’s feet to 12, part of a $118-million announcement from 2023.
“The addition of a special mission aircraft to our fleet will significantly enhance Ornge’s ability to respond to various emergency situations and stakeholder needs in Ontario,” said Dr. Homer Tien, president and CEO of Ornge.
“This larger, faster aircraft will be versatile to support ultra-long distance transport of critically ill/injured patients and multi-patient, cargo and passenger configurations to best serve the mission at hand, anywhere in Ontario. This is another resource for Ornge to help us deliver on our mandate of improving health equity.”
The PC-24 aircraft will be housed in a new hangar at Lake Simcoe Regional Airport, about 20 kilometres northeast of Barrie, and will enable Ornge to help pediatric, bariatric and neonatal patients.
“We are very pleased that Ornge has elected to continue the excellent long-term partnership with Pilatus in this upgrade to their fleet,” said Thomas Bosshard
president and CEO, Pilatus Business Aircraft Ltd.
“We take great pride in being able to support the health care system of Ontario’s citizens.”
The PC-24 acquisitions are in addition to the $118-million PC-12 fleet renewal announcement from 2023. Ontario is acquiring a larger hangar in Sudbury to house its new PC-12s.
Ornge is also spending $25 million to hire more than 100 new frontline staff by 2029, including paramedics, pilots, and aircraft maintenance engineers.
It’s expected the first PC-24 aircraft will be delivered in December 2027, with the second slated for delivery in early 2028.
“Our investment in Ornge’s expanded fleet and additional frontline staff is a major step in improving access to emergency care in northern remote First Nations communities,” said Greg Rickford, Ontario’s minister of Indigenous affairs and First Nations economic reconciliation, as well as minister of northern development.
“With approximately 98 percent of Ornge’s fixed-wing patient transports originating in the North, these all-new Special Mission Aircraft will ensure faster, more reliable transport for critically ill patients in every corner of Ontario.”
