Ontario budget falls short on investments in northern Ontario, say advocates

An increase to Ontario's Northern Health Travel Grant in the 2024 budget is "a tiny step in the right direction" but doesn't go far enough, says NDP health critic France Gélinas.

The travel grant helps patients from northern Ontario cover their expenses when they travel elsewhere in the province for medical care.

The budget included an increase to the reimbursement for accommodations from $100 a night to $175 for the first night.

"If you need to stay there two or three nights, then the amount goes down every day," Gélinas said.

She said while the increase is welcome, it still doesn't come close to covering a hotel stay in Toronto.

"I know full well that a lot of people that are seriously sick, that need to come to Toronto once every two weeks, once every three weeks, and pay $350 a night for a hotel room," Gélinas said.

"It adds up on their credit card and they just give up."

In addition to reimbursements for hotel stays, the travel grant also reimburses patients for travel at a rate of 41 cents per kilometre. The first 100 kilometres travelled are also deducted from the reimbursement.

Gélinas said that portion did not receive an increase in the latest budget.

"Things have changed in healthcare, but the Northern Health Travel Grant has not," she said.

The 2024 budget also included an increase in spending to improve high-speed internet access across Ontario, with $1.3 billion allocated this year, up from $300 million in each of the previous few years. It's part of a $4-billion commitment to bring broadband internet access to every part of the province.

But Susan Church, the executive director of the Blue Sky Economic Growth Corporation, said that doesn't appear to be new money.

"I think it's just the same fund that gets re-announced several times over to be honest," she said. "I mean that that is the same number that has come out with every broadband announcement."

Blue Sky is focused on broadband development in northern Ontario.