St. Theresa Point residents can now get delivery costs for essential medical supplies and equipment covered through the Non-Insured Health Benefits program. Indigenous Services Canada expanded the policy in July 2026 to include shipping fees for clients in remote or isolated communities, eliminating a major barrier for people who previously had to pay out-of-pocket or travel long distances to get items like wheelchairs, feeding supplies, or wound care products.
The fly-in First Nation, located roughly 600 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg on Island Lake, has no hospital and only a nursing station with four nurses and a dental station. Most hospital trips require flights to Winnipeg. This geography made getting large or heavy medical equipment especially difficult for the community’s approximately 4,000 residents.
Under the new rules, delivery costs may be covered when items are not available locally, the client lives in a remote or isolated community, the equipment is large or heavy, or the person has physical limitations that prevent pickup. Prior approval is required, but residents now have a clear path to have supplies shipped directly from the nearest appropriate provider.
The Four Arrows Regional Health Authority serves St. Theresa Point and three other Island Lake First Nations, where a combined population of about 15,000 has long faced higher-than-average diabetes and hospitalization rates. The delivery coverage builds on a policy first introduced in December 2024, and is part of a broader effort to improve healthcare access in underserved areas.
Indigenous Services Canada has allocated $794 million for the Non-Insured Health Benefits program in 2026-2027. Clients and providers can call the NIHB Call Centre at Express Scripts Canada for more information: 1-888-441-4777 for clients or 1-888-511-4666 for providers.
