The Manitoba government announced Thursday it’s formed an agreement with the Exchange Income Corporation to provide air travel for judges, sheriffs and accused.

The terms of this contract are for five years, for $4.2 million per year, a savings from the previous contract of $1.3 million annually.

Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler says this agreement will ensure public safety and more timely court hearings.

“Our government is committed to public safety above all and this agreement ensures that safer service is accomplished at a lower cost for Manitobans,” he said in a news release Thursday. “This agreement will also reduce the number of occasions where court is rescheduled or cancelled in northern parts of our province, so the criminal justice system is administered in a timely fashion.”

Under the previous system, Schuler says these services were fulfilled by private carriers 97 per cent of the time. The province was paying rates determined by carriers with no cost certainty on a given flight.

Flights were rescheduled or cancelled with little notice or explanation, delaying the justice system and courts, he added.

One court delay in the northern region of Manitoba costs approximately $10,000 and extended delays can lead to cases being thrown out of court, Schuler says.

Exchange Income Corporation has resources across the province including hangars and aircraft operating under carriers such as Bearskin Lake Air Service, Calm Air, Custom Helicopters, Keewatin Air, and Perimeter Aviation. It’s a Winnipeg-based company.