STARS to purchase new helicopters with expanded reach in rural communities

CALGARY--(CCNMatthews - Sept. 7) - AltaGas Income Trust ("AltaGas" or the "Trust") (TSX: ALA.UN) announced today that it has donated $300,000 to the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS). The donation will assist STARS in purchasing new helicopters and expanding STARS' capacity and reach in Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

"We are exceptionally thankful that AltaGas has chosen to partner with STARS," said Dr. Greg Powell, CEO of STARS. "More than ever there is a need to provide improved access to emergency medical care, particularly to people in remote areas. AltaGas' commitment to the safety of their employees and rural communities is remarkable."

"AltaGas' number one core value is safety," said David Cornhill, Chairman and CEO of AltaGas. "This contribution will help expand STARS service to our facilities. It will also help provide service to the people and families in the communities where we live and operate in areas of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan."

With assistance from AltaGas, STARS will add two new helicopters to their fleet based in Calgary and Edmonton. They will have an expanded service range and additional capabilities including the ability to transport additional patients and fly in most weather conditions.

In addition, AltaGas has nearly completed registering its more than 120 field locations in Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan with the STARS Emergency Link Centre®. The link centre enhances emergency medical response to remote areas, reducing response time and ensuring appropriate resources are dispatched.

The donation is the largest in AltaGas' 11-year history.

ABOUT ALTAGAS

AltaGas moves energy from its source to the end user, adding value through the process. The Trust has consolidated assets totalling over $1 billion and a market capitalization of approximately $1.4 billion. Its steadily expanding asset base today includes natural gas gathering and processing facilities, interests in ethane and natural gas liquids extraction plants, and transmission pipelines. AltaGas distributes natural gas to Alberta customers through AltaGas Utilities Inc., to customers in the Northwest Territories through Inuvik Gas Ltd. and in Nova Scotia through its interest in Heritage Gas Limited. The Trust provides energy services to customers, including marketing of natural gas and natural gas liquids, sale of power from its power purchase based arrangements and, as a leading energy agency business, specializes in the procurement and supply of energy to end users.

AltaGas' Trust Units are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ALA.UN. The Trust is included in the S&P/TSX Capped Income Trust Index and the S&P/TSX Capped Energy Trust Index.

ABOUT STARS

The Alberta Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS) is a non-profit, charitable organization providing a safe, rapid and highly specialized emergency aeromedical transport system to critically ill and injured patients in Alberta and communities in southeastern British Columbia. Funding for the program, which also includes educational and research components, is provided through private donations received from individuals, service groups, businesses and corporations, and through collaborative agreements with Capital Health and the Calgary Health Regions. Since it began in 1985, STARS has flown more than 13,000 missions.

When used in this news release, the words "anticipate," "estimate," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include operating performance, regulatory and environmental issues, weather and economic conditions, competition and financing availability. For additional information on these and other factors see the reports filed by AltaGas with Canadian securities regulators. AltaGas disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward looking information whether as a result of new information or future event. 
 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
AltaGas: 
C.J. Wilkins 
(403) 691-9890 
Email: cj.wilkins@altagas.ca 
Website: www.altagas.ca 


or


STARS: 
Lance Stephenson 
(403) 862-4871 
Email: lstephenson@stars.ca 
Website: www.stars.ca