FONOM calls on province to fund Hope Air, calling it a ‘vital service’ for northern Ont.

Group calls on province to fund Hope Air FONOM is calling on province to fund Hope Air, which helps northern Ontarians who can't afford to travel for health care.

The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is the latest organization to call on the Doug Ford government to re-open dialogue with an airline service that transports lower-income Canadians to crucial medical care far from home.

FONOM wants to see a resolution passed to ensure northerners still have access to the service, called 'Hope Air.'

To protect northern Ontarians struggling with their finances who need specialized health care in southern Ontario, FONOM is calling on the province to adequately fund the charity airline service.

"There’s a young lad currently in Timmins that’s using the service and I’ve spoken to people in Kapuskasing and all across northern Ontario," said FONOM president Danny Whalen.

Hope Air is Canada's only national charity that offers free travel and accommodations for Canadians in financial need who must access medical care in different cities far away from where they live.

The service has provided flights across the country for people since 1986. It currently serves about 75 communities in the northern section of the province.

But for the first time in its history in Ontario, Hope Air can’t keep up with the growing demand.

"This year’s we’ll provide over 3,500 travel arrangements and that’s primarily air flights, but also hotel accommodation, Uber rides and airport meal support," said Hope Air CEO Mark Rubinstein.

"That’s going to represent over 1,000 patient escorts."

Hope Air gets financial assistance from all of the provinces, except one: Ontario.

"We contacted the ministry about 14 months ago," Rubinstein said.

"We did have an exchange of information in the spring and we provided them some detailed statistics around our work in assisting patients who live in northern Ontario. We really haven't heard back from them since then."

Rubenstein expects demand will only grow in the next couple of years.

"People who are nonetheless struggling financially, the Northern Health Travel Grant provides some reimbursement," he said.

"But the remaining out-of-pocket expenses are still in the thousands of dollars that’s become unaffordable for a lot of people."

Whalen said several FONOM members have growing concerns with the "lack of dialogue" between the Ministry of Health and Hope Air’s request for multi-year funding from the government.

"The financial ask they’re after is not a big number," Whalen said.

" (Hope Air) advised us that they’re currently looking at what services they can reduce due to lack of funding. It’s a very vital service."

In a statement to CTV News on Monday afternoon, the ministry writes in part that it recognizes the "unique health-care challenges faced by residents in northern and rural communities."

"Our conversations and work with Hope Air are not over and we will continue to work together on a path forward that will ensure all Ontarians can access the care they need when they need it, no matter where they live."

The province said that through the Northern Health Travel Grant, the government supports more than 66,000 people each year who need access to specialized care.

Recently, the Ford government announced an additional $45 million in the travel grant to expand and improve services, such as increasing reimbursement amounts and simplifying the application and submission form.