STARS AND KEEWATINOHK INNINIW MINOAYAWIN INC. ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP TO ENHANCE CRITICAL CARE IN REMOTE FIRST NATIONS

WINNIPEG / Treaty One Territory, Nov. 4, 2025 – STARS and Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin (KIM) Inc. are pleased to announce the signing of a formal agreement to enhance critical care access in two remote First Nations in Northern Manitoba.

This initiative will begin with a six-month trial period that will provide frontline health-care teams in the First Nations of Tataskweyak Cree Nation (Split Lake) and Manto Sipi Cree Nation (God’s River) with 24-7 virtual access to a STARS physician, enhancing the clinical capacity for critical care in these communities. This physician will offer virtual consultations and assist with decision-making regarding patient treatment, stabilization, diagnosis, management and referral to an accepting facility on behalf of KIM. STARS will collaborate with the provincial Virtual Emergency Care & Transport Resource Service (VECTRS) to arrange patient transport if necessary.

“Since our very first mission, STARS has been committed to innovation and this partnership is another example of that commitment,” said Dr. John Froh, president and CEO of STARS. “We are proud to partner with KIM Inc. to provide the services of our physician team where they can be of assistance, and ultimately to help improve patient outcomes in northern Manitoba.”

“This partnership addresses long-standing gaps in access to emergency care for First Nations in northern Manitoba,” said Dr. Barry Lavallee, chief executive officer of KIM. “By strengthening KIM’s primary care service with the expertise of STARS, this initiative will improve access, outcomes and patient experience. This is one example of First Nations-led health transformation in action, and we are proud to be part of it.”

The physician support provided by STARS as part of this initiative will be funded by KIM Inc. and is distinct from the critical care services that STARS provides to Manitobans under contract to the provincial government.

“We are very pleased to see this new opportunity to address the immediate health-care needs of community members,” said Chief Michael Yellowback of Manto Sipi Cree Nation. “This partnership with KIM and STARS will have a profound impact on the community and represents a transformative innovation in how health care is delivered.”

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For more information contact:
Blake Robert, Government Relations and Public Affairs Manager, STARS | mediainfo@stars.ca | 1-866-966-8277
Communications Team, KIM Inc. | media@kimhealth.ca | 1-204-914-5615

About STARS
STARS was born from the conviction that no one should go without the care that could save their life. Operating 24/7 from bases in Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg, STARS is your best hope in a worst-case scenario. If you need critical care, our mission is to be there for you—physically or virtually—in whatever capacity we can help. Because when it comes to the next patient who needs us, it’s never too far. Learn more at stars.ca

ABOUT KEEWATINOHK INNINIW MINOAYAWIN (KIM) INC.
Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin (KIM Inc.) is a northern First Nations-led aggregate health organization that works to transform health and wellness services and improve health outcomes for First Nations people. Learn more at KIMHEALTH.CA