The provincial government has started a pilot program with Hope Air to provide free transportation and accommodations for those who must travel for medical treatment.

Through the agreement, Hope Air – which is a national charity – will coordinate airline services, accommodations, meals, and airport ground transportation at no cost to the patient, subject to certain eligibility requirements.

The threshold is a household income of less than $60,000 per year, but those who make more than that may also be eligible for financial assistance.

The pilot runs through to the end of next March, but Labrador MHA Lisa Dempster hopes to expand the program.

She says there could be a segment of the population who would now avail of it that wouldn’t use other government subsidies.