NEMI—The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) continues to urge the province of Ontario to fund Hope Air, which they say is a vital service for Northern Ontario.
“Hope Air is sadly underfunded and currently it relies on donations,” stated Al MacNevin, mayor of the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands (NEMI) who is also a Manitoulin Island representative on the FONOM board. He attended, along with other FONOM representatives, a meeting with Ontario Minister of Health (MOH) Sylvia Jones at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference held earlier this month.
“We are trying to get the government to offset some of the costs,” said Mayor MacNevin. “The Northern Health Travel Grant provides some reimbursement,” but not enough for people who are struggling financially.”
FONOM is one of several organizations that over the past year have called on the provincial government to re-open dialogue with an airline service that transports lower-income Canadians to crucial medical care far from home. The service has been used on Manitoulin Island, specifically for a resident in Gore Bay.
Hope Air is Canada’s only national charity that offers free travel and accommodations for Canadians in financial need who must access to medical care in different cities far way form where they live. The service has provided flights across the country for people since 1986. It currently serves about 756 communities in the northern section of Ontario.
However, as was raised in the fall, for the first time in its history in Ontario, Hope Air can’t keep up with growing demand for the service.
Hope Air receives financial assistance from all of Canada’s provinces, except for Ontario.
“We are hoping to get Hope Air funded by the province on a regular basis,” said Mayor MacNevin. “We stressed at our meeting with the minister Hope Air needs more support for this valuable service.”