Province boosts northern travel grant, eases restrictions, increases payouts
The Ontario government is spending $45 million in the next three years to improve access and funding for the northern travel grant.
The grant repays northerners part of the costs when they have to travel south for specialized treatment. Opposition parties have long called for improvements to the system, particularly as the cost of travel and lodgings has soared in recent years.
Tuesday, the province said it was creating a more convenient online application form that makes getting reimbursed faster.
The government is also “eliminating the need for a signature from the referring health care provider, making the application process easier,” a news release said.
“Adding more eligible health care providers and more facility locations, such as community laboratories, to help more people get reimbursed for their incurred costs.”
Other changes include removing the 100-kilometre deductible so people are reimbursed for every kilometre travelled to help offset higher gas prices. And for the first time since 2017, reimbursements for overnight trips are being increased.
The accommodation allowance is rising from $100 to $175 per night, and the total allowance for eight or more nights is rising from $550 to $1,150.
And the travel distance requirement to be eligible for overnight accommodation allowance is being cut from 200 kilometres to 100 kilometres.
In 2022-2023, approximately 170,000 travel grants were processed for 66,000 northern Ontario residents.
A total of 98 per cent of eligible applications for the grant are paid within four to six weeks. The new, online submission form is expected to further reduce processing time.
The Ministry of Health also provides a telephone support service to help clients who need help completing their applications. The number to call for assistance is 1-800-262-6524.
"I am proud to be a part of a government that is sticking up for northerners and ensuring that we receive and have access to the care we need,” Timmins MPP George Pirie is quoted as saying in the release.
o Download our app to get local alerts on your device
o Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
"For years, my constituents in Nipissing have expressed their concerns over the Northern Health Travel Grants reimbursement rates,” added Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli.
“We are pleased that our government has heard their concerns. Through the program’s $45 million expansion, patients in northern Ontario will have additional assistance to the health care services they require."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Robert Pickton to remain in medically induced coma until later this week: police
Serial killer Robert Pickton will remain in a medically induced coma for at least the next few days following an attack in a Quebec prison Sunday, according to police spokesperson Hugues Beaulieu.
Charlie Colin, founding member of the pop-rock band Train, dies at 58
Charlie Colin, bassist and founding member of the American pop-rock band Train, best known for their early-aughts hits like 'Drops of Jupiter' and 'Meet Virginia,' has died. He was 58.
'Five feet nothing': Pickton's safety likely behind Quebec transfer, says ex-prison judge
When serial killer Robert Pickton was transferred from British Columbia's Kent Institution to a maximum security prison in Quebec about six years ago, correctional authorities gave no public explanation or confirmation at the time, citing privacy.
'I feel betrayed': Ottawa-area customers out thousands of dollars warn of bad faith contractor
A group of people from eastern Ontario and western Quebec is issuing a warning about Dennis Walker and his company Vue Windows.
Fancy pigeon outfitted in custom diaper has free rein in B.C. family home
When Chrissy Chin volunteered to take in a fancy pigeon abandoned on a park bench, she never imagined she would one day be ordering custom-made diapers for the bird – who lives in her house and has become a member of the family.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.
5 dead and at least 35 hurt in Iowa tornado: officials
Five people died and at least 35 were hurt as powerful tornadoes ripped through Iowa Tuesday, with one carving a path of destruction through the town of Greenfield, officials said.
Woman found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017 matches identity of missing person in Switzerland
Genetic genealogy has helped Toronto police identify a woman who was found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017.