Medical Travel Assistance Programs

Variety the Children's Charity Direct help when you need it the most. We're here to help children with special needs reach their unique potential. Variety provides a wide spectrum of support with some parameters to focus their assistance.

The Travel Assistance Program (TAP) helps alleviate some of the transportation costs for eligible B.C. residents who must travel within the province for non-emergency medical specialist services not available in their own community. TAP is a corporate partnership between the Ministry of Health and private transportation carriers. The program is coordinated by the Ministry of Health and the transportation partners who agree to waive or discount their regular fees.

Hope Air (1-877-346-4673) provides free air transportation for financially burdened Canadians who need to travel to and from medical appointments. Hope Air is not an air ambulance; it provides donated flights on commercial airlines and private planes.
Hope Air is the only registered, national charity that provides free flights to people who cannot afford the cost of an airline ticket to get to medical expertise or specialized medical technologies that usually exist only in larger urban centres.

Fort Nelson Elk's Fund for Children's Medical Assistance provides funds to purchase pediatric medical equipment, supplies or services for children birth to 19 years of age, who have an identified medical or developmental concern. Funds are intended for low income families in the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality who are not able to afford the financial cost of such equipment or services themselves. For an application form or for more information, please contact the Northern Rockies Children and Family Action Committee @ fnelksproject@gmail.com.     

Shriner's Care for Kids For those children in BC and Yukon requiring specialized procedures (see note) transportation, accommodation, and all associated medical treatment—including follow-up—are provided at Shriners Hospitals for Children. A physician’s referral is not necessary; however, cases are reviewed by Shriners Hospitals’ doctors to determine the best course of treatment. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need. For further information on our transportation system, please call TOLL FREE: 1-800-661-KIDS or e-mail info@bcshriners.com.   

Treaty 8 Tribal Association Health Hub The T8TA health hub can help northern First Nations clients with applications for the financial assistance required to access health care, including clients who must travel to areas with specialized medical health services that are not available locally.This service is for registered off-reserve First Nations clients living in northeastern BC (including Fort St. John, Chetwynd, Hudson’s Hope, Pouce Coupe, Kelly Lake, Tumbler Ridge, Dawson Creek, Taylor, Fort Nelson, and all points in between). Contact Gladys Lawrence, T8TA Medical Transportation Clerk at email: glawrence@treaty8.bc.ca or phone: (250) 785-0612 ext 228

First Nations clients living on-reserve can access the same benefits by contacting the patient travel clerk at their respective band office. For other Non-insured health care benefits, First Nations members can contact the Non-insured Health Benefits Regional office in Vancouver at 1-800-317-7878