A Novel Initiative from VIA Rail That Eases Train Travel for Children with Paediatric Needs

April 30, 2026 Team Contributor

VIA Rail Canada and the Children’s Health Foundation have entered into a first-of-its-kind, three-year partnership offering complimentary train travel to families with children receiving paediatric treatment at the Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC).

This will significantly reduce the cost burden on families across Ontario who must travel to the hospital and other specialized paediatric centres for treatment.

The partnership aims to make life-saving treatment accessible to children by removing the transportation barrier.

For many such families, the support is a shot in the arm.

Take the case of Lisa from Leamington. Her five-year-old son, Oakley, is suffering from a rare condition called CODAS Syndrome, with only a two percent survival rate. Since then, it has been quite a challenge for her and her son to bear with the complex medical journey, including multiple diagnoses. She is required to travel to the Children’s Hospital in London several times a month, and more recently, to Montreal for specialized care.

“Being able to take the train instead of driving will give us peace of mind and allow us to arrive feeling more prepared and less exhausted.”

The burden of travel is palpable when she says, “Travel has always been one of the hardest parts of Oakley’s care.” She further adds, “When you’re already navigating appointments, diagnoses and the unknown, the added stress of long drives, weather, and costs can feel overwhelming.”

The Children’s Hospital in London serves as the regional referral centre, providing specialized paediatric inpatient and outpatient services to children in Southwestern Ontario from birth through age 18. It claims to serve a population of 1.5 million, including over 400,000 children.

The partnership will ease the burden of travelling for many families like Lisa’s in the region, for whom travel is a necessity for routine care, cancer treatment, surgery, and rare disease management.

Speaking on the partnership, Tim Tribe, Vice President of Philanthropy at Children’s Health Foundation, said. “This partnership represents more than transportation – it represents access, equity, and compassion.”

“Every family’s journey is different, but when a child needs care, getting there should never add to the weight they already carry,” says Philippe Normand, Vice-President, Communications and Marketing at VIA Rail. “We’re proud to partner with Children’s Health Foundation to help make those journeys easier. It reflects what drives us at VIA Rail: moving Canada forward by bringing communities closer together and, in this case, helping families focus on what matters most.”

Access to the complimentary train travel is coordinated through the Pediatric Family Resource Centre at Children’s Hospital, LHSC. Families can write to [email protected]. for more information.

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