OPP to move rescue helicopter from Sudbury to Orillia

France Gelinas, the MPP for Nickel Belt, has chastised the provincial police for a decision to move the rescue helicopter from Sudbury to Orillia.

The move will give Orillia two helicopters.

"I cannot stress enough what a short-sighted decision this is," Gelinas said. "Why do we want to move these helicopters farther away from their target operational areas to an air base that is less reliable?"

Gelinas said Orillia often feels extreme weather effects from being on the lake, making it difficult to fly. In contrast, helicopters can fly out of Sudbury every day.

In 2011, the Sudbury base received a new helicopter to replace the original bought in in 1991. Gelinas said the program has been highly successful.

"Since the search and rescue helicopter was stationed in Sudbury, aircraft and air crew have literally been responsible for saving hundreds of lives, responding to calls for service from a wide variety of policing agencies throughout Northern Ontario," she said.

Ontario Provincial Police spokesperson Sgt. Carolle Dionne said the decision will save the service $254,000 a year. Dionne said weather is always a concern but couldn't speak specifically about the lake effect in Orillia.  She said it could take longer for a helicopter to reach some areas in the north as it has a maximum flying time of two and a half hours.

That means it may need to fuel up before reaching some destinations.

The OPP will still be working with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the RCMP when conducting rescue efforts in the North, said Dionne.

The change will take place in a couple of months.