BONNYVILLE – After years of contributing to the community, MD of Bonnyville resident Bernie Chartrand told MD council members on March 28 he expects the municipality to honour the seniors who helped build the community and create the services enjoyed by residents today.
Presenting a delegation to council while seated, the 86-year-old, who has been partially paralyzed for about 40 years, told council he hopes they seriously reconsider changes made to the municipality’s Seniors Transportation Grant Policy earlier in the year.
“You have to remember all of you on council will be old in the near future. You will be in the same boat like all seniors are in now. It’s time to fix and repair so all of you will have a better, healthier future,” noted Chartrand, in a letter he also provided to council.
“The people who will help you are all in school now and some of them don’t know how to sign their name [yet],” he stated, referring to the importance of the younger generations.
In January, MD council approved amendments to the grant policy that saw several reductions in regard to travel reimbursements provided to seniors attending medical appointments outside the region. The reasons for the change were cited as being an oversubscription to the program.
RELATED STORY: Reductions introduced to MD of Bonnyville’s senior transportation grant
In order to allow the grant funding to last the full 2023 calendar year, a decision was made to decrease the amount each applicant could apply for rather than increasing the total amount allocated to the program.
Changes to the Seniors Transportation Grant Policy included the reduction of the mileage reimbursement rate from 56 cents per kilometre to 20 cents per kilometre, and reducing the maximum reimbursement value in a calendar year from $600 to $400 per applicant.
“The 50 cents a kilometre is what we need – not 20 cents. The cents per kilometre right now is over 75 cents,” shared Chartrand. “The $400 limit should be $1,000.”
The 86-year-old also expressed frustration with council’s decision to remove reimbursements for medical trips to Bonnyville, Cold Lake and Glendon.
The updated Seniors Transportation Grant Policy states that “Mileage is paid for a trip of at least 150 km (one way) outside the MD municipal boundaries.”
Referencing these changes Chartrand expressed, “When help is given by the MD, it should be available to all of the MD taxpayers and not exclude one-third by having [to travel] 150 km one way. That is a no-no.”
He pointed out that now only seniors travelling to Edmonton, Lloydminster or further will be able to qualify for financial assistance when accessing medical treatment.
Before Chartrand jumped into the changes he hopes the MD council would implement, he started by listing the hundreds of volunteer hours and advocacy work he and other seniors have put into the community over their lifetimes. He listed the work it took to bring power to Fort Kent, to get phone lines connected in the area, to build a Co-op, and the list goes on.
“Now what I am asking all of you is put $100,000 in the Senior Transportation Grant pot – at least $50,000 for this year. You may have to go over $100,000 next year. More and more seniors are going to need help,” he said. “I’m asking you for only $50,000, that’s peanuts. You are getting millions from the oil patch.”
Chartrand also referenced a new Medical Transportation Grant being provided by the City of Cold Lake that has many similarities to the MD’s grant.
RELATED STORY: City council introduces medical travel assistance for ‘modest income’ residents
“I admire the [City] council over there in Cold Lake, they poured in money and are working with the FCSS right now and that's terrific. And the Town of Bonnyville, I’m going to see the mayor in a week or so... and I'm going to ask her to do the same thing.”
Coun. Dana Swigart added that since speaking with Chartrand on a previous occasion, he has started looking into various programs offered by other municipalities, organizations and has discussed the matter with Town of Bonnyville councillor and Family and Community Support Services Association of Alberta (FCSSAA) Northeast Region Rep, Kayla Blanchette.
"I didn't realize that the MD was one of the few municipalities that actually has [a seniors transportation] program, the Town doesn't offer that program,” noted Swigart. He added that it would be beneficial to have the new director for the Bonnyville and District FCSS, Rachelle Lavoie, present the details of the various programs to council.
“Maybe we can have further discussions about how we want to fund it going forward,” Swigart said.
As Chartrand wrapped up his presentation he added, “People should come first... You are here for one purpose – it is to help people.”
Provincial support for medical mileage
For Alberta seniors and people with disabilities, there are supports that can assist with the financial burdens associated with travelling for medical treatment.
Benefit rates for medical trips provided by the province vary based on a number of things, such as the distance travelled, number of travel days, if a spouse accompanies the person and the need for overnight accommodation.
For a shorter trip, less than 100km, a senior would receive a maximum up to $56, or $68 if accompanied by a spouse. A longer trip, greater than 350km with two travel days, a senior could receive $232 for mileage and meals, plus up to $110 each night for overnight accommodation. There is, however, a cumulative maximum cap for the benefit year of $5,412.
Seniors have up to 12 months to submit their expenses to the province for eligible medical trips.
