• N.W.T. MLAs decry lengthy medical travel flights for seniors

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-10-23 17:34:19.0
  Tags: [National, Healthcare, Seniors, Transportation, Governance]

  Members of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, including Frame Lake MLA Julian Morse and Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins, decried the physical toll that lengthy, indirect medical travel flights lasting up to six hours to Edmonton take on seniors and elders. Lawmakers raised concerns that doctor-recommended requests for shorter flight exemptions are frequently denied by the Department of Health and Social Services, despite over 23,000 people utilizing the medical travel service annually at a significant taxpayer cost. Newly appointed Health Minister Denny Rodgers stated he is willing to review all aspects of the policy but declined to promise any immediate new exemptions as the government enters the final year of its term.

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• Transport médical héliporté - Plusieurs nouvelles régions ont désormais accès au service

  Source: Quebec - Fil de presse gouvernemental
  Date: 2026-10-19 14:46:00.0
  Tags: [Quebec, Healthcare, Infrastructure, Transportation]

  The second base of Quebec's helicopter medical transport service, located at the Mirabel airport, has become officially operational as of October 19, 2026. This expansion extends emergency medical helicopter coverage to the regions of Lanaudière, Laurentides, Mauricie, Centre-du-Québec, and Estrie. The service aims to improve rapid medical evacuation and healthcare access across these expanded administrative regions.

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• Government Announces Major Enhancements to Medical Transportation Assistance and Improved Access to Health Care

  Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
  Date: 2026-09-28 15:30:36.0
  Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Healthcare, Transportation, Affordability]

  The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, through the Department of Labrador Affairs and the Department of Health and Community services, announced major enhancements to the Medical Transportation Assistance Program (MTAP) and the Medical Transportation Supports Program (MeTS) effective for travel on or after September 1, 2026. The changes fulfill a Budget 2026 commitment to provide 100 per cent coverage of eligible transportation expenses and more than double MTAP's financial assistance budget. Key policy updates include increasing the private vehicle mileage rate to $0.35 per eligible kilometre, reimbursing all eligible kilometres once MTAP's 500-kilometre mileage threshold is met without excluding the first 500 kilometres, reducing the minimum travel distance for dialysis-related mileage assistance from 50 kilometres to 20 kilometres one way, and increasing private accommodation rates from $25 to $50 per eligible night. Additional measures involve aligning MeTS meal per diem rates with MTAP, eliminating the $400 annual household deductible for eligible in-province travel under MTAP, expanding access to specialized insured medical services sooner when local capacity permits, and introducing new online application and claim services.

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