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Non-emergency medical transport: who does it, who pays

No separate non-emergency rate: an ambulance costs $125 plus $1.75 per km. Who transports, who pays and which programs reimburse.

November 4, 2026 · By the Agent Ambulancier editorial team · Lire en français

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Non-emergency medical transport has no fee of its own in Quebec. For an ambulance, section 5 of ministerial order L-0.2, r. 2, up to date as of July 1, 2026, sets $125 for the pick-up plus $1.75 per kilometre, with no separate rate. The details of the fee are in our page on the price of an ambulance. Who receives the bill depends on the situation. This text applies to women and men alike (ambulance technicians and paramedics). It is not legal advice. In an emergency, call 911.

What the term covers

No official page we read defines "non-emergency transport" as a category. They describe three situations: the ambulance between two establishments, travel to an establishment for care, and adapted transport.

Who provides the transport

Between establishments, it is an ambulance. Section 4 of the order requires the patient to be admitted or registered in a hospital centre, a reception centre or a designated CLSC. Transport on a stretcher must be required by the attending physician or a specialized nurse practitioner. The paramedics work for a permit holder, or for Urgences-santé (the ambulance service for Montreal and Laval) in Montreal and Laval. See also the ambulance zones.

For other trips, the official pages name the taxi, public transit and adapted transport. The SAAQ (Quebec's driver licensing and auto insurance board) form provides for reimbursing a taxi authorized beforehand. The CNESST (Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board) reimburses a taxi at actual cost with its prior authorization. It favours public transit.

Who pays for the ambulance between establishments

The Québec.ca page Coût du transport en ambulance (Cost of ambulance transportation), last updated August 20, 2024, says transport between two establishments of the health network is paid by the two establishments concerned. Urgences-santé specifies that the exemption requires authorization from the sending establishment. In Montreal, CLSCs are excluded from this exemption.

The same page names other payers.

Road accident: the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec
Age 65 or older: the hospital centre, with the approval of the responsible physician
Social assistance or social solidarity: the ministère du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale, with the approval of the responsible physician
Work accident: the employer

In other cases, the person transported pays, even if someone else called 911. See also the fee frozen since 1997.

Travel to care

A Québec.ca news release dated May 18, 2023 says any trip to a health network establishment is at the expense of the person transported, unless the person is eligible for a government financial support program. The Politique de déplacement des usagers (users' travel policy) of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), Quebec's health ministry, covers in particular the following people.

Users transferred between establishments
People aged 65 and over
People receiving end-of-life care
People 200 kilometres or more from elective care not offered in their region
People in cancer treatment, waiting for a transplant or in post-transplant follow-up

The release raises the user's daily lodging and meals from $108 to $115.24 and the companion's daily meals from $46.25 to $49.35. Indexation happens again on April 1 of each year. These are the 2023 amounts.

Another program, described on Québec.ca (updated May 9, 2023), reimburses transport to an establishment for a person with a physical or intellectual disability or who receives hemodialysis. The trip must exceed 50 km round trip, with exceptions. It must be prescribed beforehand by the attending physician or another professional authorized by the establishment.

Recipients of social assistance, social solidarity, Objectif emploi or the Basic Income Program can ask for reimbursement of medical transport costs. Supporting documents must be sent within 90 days of the trip (page updated October 1, 2026).

Municipal adapted transport

The page Admissibilité au transport adapté (Eligibility for adapted transport), updated August 25, 2026, is for people with a disability whose impairment greatly compromises mobility. It cites in particular the inability to walk 400 m on level ground and to climb a 35 cm step.

The ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable funds these services through the Programme de soutien au transport adapté. Under component 1, the base contribution is 65% of the eligible annual expenses of adapted transport organizations (page updated July 13, 2026).

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Frequently asked questions

What is non-emergency transport?

No official page we read defines it as a category. The ministerial order deals with ambulance transport between establishments, which must be required by the attending physician or a specialized nurse practitioner. The users' travel policy covers trips to care. Adapted transport is for people with disabilities.

How much does non-emergency medical transport cost?

No official source we read sets a single price. An ambulance costs $125 plus $1.75 per kilometre, according to the order. Other modes depend on the program and the region.

How do you get to the hospital without a car?

The official pages we read name public transit, the taxi and adapted transport. For adapted transport, you apply for admission to your municipality's adapted transport service. In an emergency, call 911.

Who is entitled to a medical taxi?

No program called "medical taxi" appears in the pages we read. The SAAQ reimburses a taxi for an injured person if it is authorized beforehand. The CNESST also reimburses a taxi at actual cost, with its prior authorization.

What is the price of a non-emergency ambulance transport?

Section 5 of the order sets three rates: $125 for the pick-up, $35 for each additional patient and $1.75 per kilometre. It provides no separate rate for non-emergency transport.

Who pays for an ambulance transport?

By default, the person transported. Québec.ca names other payers: the SAAQ, the hospital centre for people 65 and over, the employer and the two establishments in the case of a transfer.

Do you have to pay for an ambulance transport?

Yes, unless another payer is provided. Urgences-santé writes that every person transported by ambulance is responsible for the cost of their transport. For people 65 and over, it writes that the transport is free if it is medically or socially required.