Ontario Invests Nearly $1.7 Million for Medical Transit in Northwestern Ontario

Funding will help seniors and people with accessibility needs access health care

News Release | August 28th, 2026

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THUNDERBAY – The Ontario government is awarding nearly $1.7 million to Riverside Health Care Facilities through the Ontario Transit Investment Fund (OTIF). This funding will support safe and reliable transit services in Northwestern Ontario as the government continues to protect Ontario by making historic investments in transportation across the province.

“I’m pleased to see our government investing in safe, reliable and accessible transportation services across Northwestern Ontario,” said The Hon. Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay–Atikokan. “Expanding the Medically Stable Patient Transport program, including a new station in Atikokan, will help seniors and people with accessibility needs access the health care and services they depend on. Thank you to Riverside Health Care Facilities for their work to improve transportation options for people across the region.”

Riverside Health Care Facilities will receive nearly $1.7 million to launch an accessible transportation service between Fort Frances and Thunder Bay and to expand its Medically Stable Patient Transport program by adding stations in Rainy River, Emo, Fort Frances and Atikokan.

“Today’s announcement reflects our government’s commitment to ensuring remote First Nations and Northern communities have safe, rapid and reliable access to medical care,” said Greg Rickford, MPP for Kenora–Rainy River. “By expanding the network of accessible transit stations, we are building the necessary infrastructure to increase connectivity throughout the Northwest.”

OTIF funds local and intercommunity transit projects such as bus services and door-to-door transportation across the province. Eligible municipalities, Indigenous communities and non-profits can apply for OTIF funding on an ongoing basis.

“Transit services are key to Ontarians’ quality of life and a critical part of our plan to drive economic growth by making it faster and easier for people across the province to get where they’re going each day, said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. No matter where you live in Ontario, you deserve access to transportation services you can count on, and that’s what our government is delivering through OTIF. ”

In 2026, the Ontario government doubled OTIF funding to $10 million annually over the next three years.