Ontario patients need equitable access to health care
Hope Air provides free medical travel supports for those who must leave their communities to access specialized care, but this lifeline is at risk.
In 2024, Hope Air provided over 3,500 travel arrangements for patients in Ontario, yet rising demands and costs now exceed available donations.
Support Hope Air by urging the Ontario government to fund our critical programs.
With your support we can amplify our voices, advocate for change, and affirm our commitment to ensuring that where you live should not determine if you live. Help us acknowledge that every Ontario resident deserves equal access to life-saving medical care.
Support Hope Air by urging the Ontario government to fund our critical programs.
With your support we can amplify our voices, advocate for change, and affirm our commitment to ensuring that where you live should not determine if you live. Help us acknowledge that every Ontario resident deserves equal access to life-saving medical care.
No patient left behind
Barriers of distance and cost are significant issues that affect many people living in rural, remote, northern or under-served communities. By working together with government, partners and donors, we can reduce these barriers to health care access, leading to earlier diagnosis and treatment for thousands of patients in Ontario. This in turn leads to significant better health outcomes for people.
Hope Air supports patients needing to travel for specialty medical care in over 75 communities across the province. In 2024, it is projected that we will be asked to support over 4,000 medical travel arrangements including airline, hotel, meals and ground transportation. Without Hope Air, patients in financial need would be required to pay $2,000 or more per trip in out of pocket travel expenses, causing many people to cancel their medical appointments due to cost.
Hope Air supports patients needing to travel for specialty medical care in over 75 communities across the province. In 2024, it is projected that we will be asked to support over 4,000 medical travel arrangements including airline, hotel, meals and ground transportation. Without Hope Air, patients in financial need would be required to pay $2,000 or more per trip in out of pocket travel expenses, causing many people to cancel their medical appointments due to cost.
To meet the growing demand for medical travel support, Hope Air has been advocating for funding from the government of Ontario to ensure that we can deliver our programs and meet our mission of equitable access to health care for all. For more information about our advocacy efforts , please watch this recent news story on CityNews
What would happen if Hope Air no longer existed in the province?
More ways to help: Write to Your Elected Officials
We need your help to call or email your local MPP, telling them that Hope Air programs are at risk and that we need provincial government funding now to support patient travel. By taking 10 minutes today, you will be ensuring that Hope Air will be there for your friends, family and neighbors, if travel for health care is needed.
Below is a list of MPP’s by provincial riding with email address and phone number:
Below is a list of MPP’s by provincial riding with email address and phone number:
- Timmins, Minister George Pirie – George.pirie@pc.ola.org, 807-467-2415
- Sault Ste. Marie, MPP Ross Romano – Ross.romano@pc.ola.org, 705-949-6959
- Sudbury, MPP Jamie West – JWest-CO@ndp.on.ca, 705-675-1914
- Thunder Bay, MPP Kevin Holland – Kevin.holland@pc.ola.org, 807-623-6702
- North Bay, Minister Victor Fedeli – Vic.fedeli@pc.ola.org, 705-474-8340
- Kenora/Rainy River, Minister Greg Rickford – Greg.rickford@pc.ola.org, 807-223-6456
- Parry-Sound Muskoka, Minister Graydon Smith – Graydon.smith@pc.ola.org, 705-645-8538
National Hope Air Day will launch with an official celebration event in Sault Ste. Marie
While communities across Canada help to amplify our message to raise awareness of equitable access to healthcare for all Canadians through their local community events and social media, we will be hosting the official kick off celebration in Sault Ste. Marie.
Thank you to the City of Sault Ste Marie and our many corporate and individual supporters for hosting our official Hope Air Day celebration.
Coinciding with the arrival of the Give Hope Wings expedition, we’ll bring pilots, patients and community stakeholders together to raise awareness of the important issue of equitable access to healthcare.
Details and more information about how you can join us coming soon.
Thank you to the City of Sault Ste Marie and our many corporate and individual supporters for hosting our official Hope Air Day celebration.
Coinciding with the arrival of the Give Hope Wings expedition, we’ll bring pilots, patients and community stakeholders together to raise awareness of the important issue of equitable access to healthcare.
Details and more information about how you can join us coming soon.
Join your city on June 7th to celebrate Hope Air Day:
Make hope take flight
Better Health. Reduced Poverty. Stronger Communities.
Better Health
Rob, Timmins, Ontario
“For the first time the fact that we lived in this beautiful part of the world meant we were at a disadvantage. Flying me back and forth meant I could focus on my health and recovery. Today I’m in remission.”
“For the first time the fact that we lived in this beautiful part of the world meant we were at a disadvantage. Flying me back and forth meant I could focus on my health and recovery. Today I’m in remission.”
Reduced Poverty
Heidi, mother to Hope Air Patient Zoe, Windsor, Ontario
“We go every 10 days. It’s very costly, you’re wearing down your vehicle and between the cost of hotels and fuel it quickly adds up. Without Hope Air, that is what we would have had to do to save our child’s life.”
“We go every 10 days. It’s very costly, you’re wearing down your vehicle and between the cost of hotels and fuel it quickly adds up. Without Hope Air, that is what we would have had to do to save our child’s life.”
Stronger Communities
Keisha, mother to Hope Air patient Dean, Timmins, Ontario
“I wasn’t sure how I would get Dean to treatment; flying was too expensive, and driving was taking a toll on us. It was becoming impossible, especially in the winter.”
“I wasn’t sure how I would get Dean to treatment; flying was too expensive, and driving was taking a toll on us. It was becoming impossible, especially in the winter.”