B.C. adds 7 coastal ferry routes to health-care travel program [Video]

The B.C. government added seven coastal ferry routes to the program that finances the travel of Indigenous, rural and remote patients to receive health care outside their communities.

The provincial travel assistance program supports B.C. residents whose travel costs are not covered by third-party insurance and who need to access non-emergency health services not offered locally. 

As of Thursday, round trips are free for eligible patients on the ferries, which are mainly around Vancouver Island and Prince Rupert.

Newly-covered routes include:

• From Tahsis and Kyuquot to Gold River.
• From Dodge Cove to Prince Rupert.
• From Lasqueti Island to French Creek.
• From Bamfield, Kildonan and Haggard’s Cove to Port Alberni.
•  From Ahousaht and Hot Springs Cove to Tofino.
• From Matlakatla, Oona River, KitKatla and Hartley Bay to Prince Rupert.
• And from Tuck Inlet to Prince Rupert, Aero Point. 

“These are all small communities that have private or independently operated ferry services to them, and there’s a cost associated with that,” B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne told All …