Helping you get to the care you need, even when it’s not local.
Program Overview
The Out-of-Town Transportation Program provides safe, reliable transportation for clients traveling to medical appointments, treatments, and procedures outside their home community. This service helps remove barriers to accessing specialized care that may not be available locally.
Who Can Use This Service?
- Seniors: 60 years and older
- Indigenous individuals: 55 years and older
- Adults (18+): Experiencing an acute illness, recovering from an acute injury, or managing acute/chronic health conditions, physical disabilities, or cognitive impairments
- Children (<18): With chronic health conditions, physical disabilities, or cognitive impairments, or if their parent/guardian meets the above criteria. A support person must accompany the child.
Services Provided
- Medical appointments (specialist visits, surgeries, therapy, diagnostic tests)
- Coordinated return trips (same-day or overnight)
- Travel grant assistance (where eligible)
- Door-to-door service for clients needing extra support
Program Features
- Comfortable, insured, and accessible vehicles
- Trained, professional drivers
- Vehicles sanitized after each trip
- Affordable rates (subsidies may apply)
Booking a Ride
- Initial intake: Complete this form or call Intake Coordinator: 705-864-1520 ext. 3070. Intake is reviewed yearly.
- Ongoing bookings: Call Reception at 705-864-1520
- Advance notice: Book at least 5 business days ahead
- Provide: Appointment details (date, time, location, estimated length of visit)
Hours of Operation
- Monday – Friday
- Trips depend on volunteer availability
Fees & Funding
Round-trip rates from Chapleau:
- Chapleau – Wawa: $151
- Chapleau – Timmins: $164
- Chapleau – Sudbury: $371
- Chapleau – Sault Ste. Marie: $276
Additional Information
- Eligible clients may apply for provincial Northern Health Travel Grants or other funding programs
- Parking and overnight stays may incur extra fees
- Payment due at time of service unless otherwise arranged
** Please Note SSCHS no longer accepts or submits NHTG forms for clients but can assist them with completing the forms **
Cancellations
By Client:
- Notify the hospital as soon as possible or at least 24 hours in advance by calling 705-864-1520
- After hours, leave a message with the charge nurse
By Provider:
- Trips may be canceled due to poor weather, safety concerns, or volunteer availability
Weather-Related Cancellations
- Cancel if local school buses are canceled, visibility is poor, walkability is unsafe, or icy conditions exist
- Automatically canceled if:
- ≥10 cm of snow in 12 hours or ≥15 cm in 24 hours
- Freezing rain or predicted freezing temperatures
- Ontario Traveler Information reports red (poor) highway conditions
- Emergency services advise staying off the roads
- If a return trip is unsafe, clients are responsible for hotel and meal costs
Discharge from the Program
A client may be discharged if:
- Transportation services are no longer needed
- No services used in the last 12 months
Clients may also be discharged or paused for:
- Overdue unpaid account balances
- Endangering volunteer safety
- Repeated short-notice cancellations or no-shows
- Deliberate damage to vehicles or property
Contact Information
Intake Coordinator:
Blair Poulin
Phone: 705-864-1520 ext. 3070
Bookings:
Call Reception at 705-864-1520