NEW PARTNERSHIP EXPANDS VIA RAIL'S IMPACT ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIESBY IMPROVING ACCESS TO LIFE-CHANGING CARE

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Canada's Children's Hospital Foundations and VIA Rail Canada partner to support 13 children's hospitals across Canada 

OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 3, 2026 /CNW/ -- Families caring for a child with a complex or chronic condition often face multiple challenges. From a difficult diagnosis to rigorous treatment regimens, the emotional, physical, financial and logistical pressures of navigating a child's critical illness are immense. 

And when there's no hospital nearby that can meet a child's specialized treatment needs, families must face another hurdle: travel.

Long-distance travel to medical appointments complicates managing a child's condition, with added costs and stress related to driving, weather and planning. 

To mitigate these challenges, VIA Rail and Canada's Children's Hospital Foundations are launching a new partnership that will help ease the burden of travel for young patients and families across Ontario and Quebec. 

This three-year partnership will offer complimentary train travel to six children's hospitals along the Québec City-Windsor corridor: CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal Children's Hospital, CHEO, SickKids, McMaster Children's Hospital and Children's Hospital in London. By supporting families with travel to these children's hospitals, this partnership aims to ease the burden that some families face. 

This national partnership builds on the success of a collaboration between VIA Rail and Children's Health Foundation in London, Ontario, which focuses on patients of Children's Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) who travel for treatment. Since it was announced in April 2026, the program has already helped families book more than 250 complimentary train journeys to and from specialized care. 

Families like Kelly's know firsthand what it's like to navigate the added stress of travel alongside a challenging condition. When her son, Kayden, was diagnosed with a germ cell brain tumour, the family required additional specialized care for Kayden in addition to the treatment he was receiving at CHEO, necessitating travel outside their hometown of Ottawa. 

"When Kayden was sick, we had to travel to Toronto for surgery," recalls Kelly. "If this kind of program had been in place then, it would have been a game-changer for us. Eliminating the financial burden and stress of travel is going to mean so much for families who must travel for care."

In addition to the support provided to the foundations of the hospitals listed above, VIA Rail will also assist the BC Children's Hospital Foundation, Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation, Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation, Jim Pattison Children's Hospital Foundation, Children's Hospital of Manitoba, IWK Foundation and the Janeway Children's Hospital Foundation. This support aims to enhance their fundraising efforts and make an even greater difference for patients and families in their local communities.

 "Connecting people and communities across Canada is at the heart of VIA Rail's mandate," says Mathieu Paquette, President and CEO of VIA Rail. "For families seeking specialized medical care, and for people with disabilities or those who have limited transportation options, accessible passenger rail can be a vital link. Through our partnership with Canada's Children's Hospital Foundations, we are proud to help reduce barriers to care and make the journey a little easier for children and their families."

VIA Rail's ongoing efforts to strengthen accessibility for customers at stations and onboard its trains are providing an optimal platform to support children and families travelling with complex medical needs and equipment. 

"Canada's geography can present real challenges for families who need specialized care," says Adam Starkman, President and CEO of Canada's Children's Hospital Foundations. "The 13 children's hospitals in our network have demonstrated remarkable innovation and leadership in bringing that care to rural, remote and Indigenous communities, but there are times when hospital visits and stays are required. Our new partnership with VIA Rail means that the hospitals in our network now have even more ways to ensure they can support kids and families, regardless of where they live."

In 2025 alone, kids and families across Canada turned to children's hospitals 3.9 million times. These 13 children's hospitals from coast to coast provide specialized care for children in their most challenging moments. The new partnership between VIA Rail and Canada's Children's Hospital Foundations will support families who must travel outside their home communities to access this world-leading care.

About VIA Rail

VIA Rail Canada's mandate is to operate the national passenger rail service on behalf of the Government of Canada, and to provide a safe, accessible, efficient, reliable, sustainable, and environmentally responsible service that meets the needs of Canadians. VIA Rail operates intercity trains connecting over 400 communities across Canada and ensuring rail transportation services to regional and remote communities. The Corporation safely transported over four million passengers in 2025 and has received nine safety awards and three environmental awards from the Railway Association of Canada. For more information, visit our website: https://corpo.viarail.ca/en. 

About Canada's Children's Hospital Foundations 

Canada's Children's Hospital Foundations (CCHF) represents 13 children's hospital foundations in Canada, creating national opportunities to raise funds and advance children's health across the country. We build partnerships with corporate and philanthropic organizations that harness the collective strength of our network while supporting the local priorities of children's hospitals and the communities they serve. Together, we help fund specialized care, research, and innovation for children and families when they need it most. 

Raising the future. Together. 

Learn more at childrenshospitals.ca.

SOURCE VIA Rail Canada Inc.

VIA Rail's Media Relations Team, [email protected]