The Ontario government is investing $1.3 million to expand the Transportation of Medically Stable Patients (TMSP) program to Blanche River Health. This initiative aims to improve access to essential medical appointments and treatments for residents in Northeastern Ontario. The TMSP program provides non-ambulance transportation for medically stable patients, helping reduce pressure on emergency ambulance services.
With the addition of Blanche River Health, the TMSP now serves nine communities across Northern Ontario. The program ensures that ambulances remain available for urgent 911 calls while providing cost-effective and timely transport for non-emergency patients. Destinations for patient transport include key regional centres such as Timmins, North Bay, and Sudbury.
This expansion is projected to eliminate 2,250 ambulance patient trips over the next three years. It will support approximately 13,500 patient transports and generate around 37,000 service hours annually. Communities benefiting from the program include Kirkland Lake/Englehart, Greater Sudbury, Parry Sound, Nipissing, Manitoulin-Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Temiskaming, Thunder Bay, and Rainy River.
To support workforce development in the health sector, Ontario has expanded its Learn and Stay Grant. This grant provides free tuition, books, and other educational costs to first-year paramedic students at selected post-secondary institutions. In return, graduates must work in the same region where they studied for a minimum of six months per funded year. Additionally, the province has increased the number of student spaces in paramedic programs by over 300 to help meet growing demand.
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