Objectives

The general objectives of the Airfare Reduction Program are:

• to promote the use of air travel by the residents of Québec's outlying regions;
• to stimulate demand for air travel, the objective being for air carriers to increase airline services in outlying regions.

Eligibility

Eligible regions

The Airfare Reduction Program is intended for residents in the following regions:

• Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine
• Bas-Saint-Laurent
• Côte-Nord
• Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
• Abitibi-Témiscamingue
• Eeyou Istchee Baie-James

Eligible applicants

• Residents of a permanent dwelling in a region covered by the Program;
• Full-time students registered at an educational institution located outside the regions covered by the Program and whose parents or legal tutors are residents of a region covered by the Program.

Eligible expenses

• Airfare for a regular flight;
• Individual airfare for a charter flight;
• Flight rescheduling charges;
• Air carrier charges for unaccompanied minors.

The air carrier must hold a commercial domestic service licence (small or medium aircraft) issued by the Canadian Transportation Agency.

The origin and final destination of the itinerary must be in Québec. This excludes itineraries from or to a destination outside Québec, meaning the costs of travels to a destination outside of Québec that include a connection in Montréal or Québec are not eligible for the Program. However, the costs of travels from or to border airports providing access to certain regions of Québec, for example, Wabush, Ottawa, Deer Lake, Charlo and North Bay airports, are eligible. The Ministère reserves the right to revise the list of designated border airports at any time.

Ineligible expenses

• Baggage fees (including animals);
• Insurance costs;
• Air cargo;
• Flights for which the tickets are paid for or reimbursed in full or in part by an employer, healthcare centre, body or any other third party.

Flights for school and extracurricular activities may be eligible, even if they are partially reimbursed by a third party.

Reimbursements

• The maximum annual reimbursement to which each resident is entitled is calculated for the period beginning on April 1 and ending on March 31 of the following year.
• The Ministère reserves the right to refuse an application for reimbursement if the appropriated budgets are depleted.

Terms of reimbursement

• Reimbursement applications must be submitted no later than one year after the end of the flight.
• Parents and legal tutors must complete the application for a minor in their charge.

Every person who submits an ineligible application or who makes a false declaration in order to obtain a reimbursement to which they are not entitled to, will have their application refused. According to the gravity of the act, sanctions may also be applicable:

• An amount equal to the amount reimbursed in excess may be withheld on subsequent eligible applications.
• The Ministère may require that the amount reimbursed in excess be remitted, with interest at the legal rate.
• The person may be excluded from the Program for a period determined by the Ministère according to the gravity of the act.

Filing an application

Required documents

Applicants must attach to the form or to their online application the airfare ticket invoice indicating:

• the name of the passenger;
• the itinerary;
• the price, including charges and taxes.

Other documents may be required for analysis or in the event of an audit by the Ministère. The following documents must therefore be kept by the applicant for two years.

• Valid proof of residence issued by a government or municipal entity, a public utility company or the owner of a rental unit (lease);
  The Ministère can, at its discretion, accept other types of proof of residence.
  The applicant's address must be indicated on the program application form.
• Proof of payment, indicating the name of the person who paid for the ticket and confirming that the plane ticket was not paid for by a third party.
• Boarding passes issued by the air carrier (if applicable).

For full-time students registered at an educational institution located outside the communities covered by the Airfare Reduction Program, a letter from the registrar or a receipt for tuition fees issued by the educational institution may be requested, in addition to the proof of residence of the parents or the legal tutor.

The Ministère reserves the right to contact other government authorities such as Revenu Québec or the applicant's employer in order to verify the applicant's place of residence.

Filing an application

In order to obtain a reimbursement, the person whose name is indicated on the plane ticket must submit an application along with the plane ticket invoice:

• online, using the online service for the Airfare Reduction Program
• by mail, using the application for reimbursement form, at the address indicated for the applicant's region.

Where should applications be sent?

Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Ministère des Transports
Airfare Reduction Program
285, chemin Principal
Cap-aux-Meules (Québec) G4T 1R8
Telephone : 418 986-2691

Bas-Saint-Laurent
Ministère des Transports
Airfare Reduction Program
285, chemin Principal
Cap-aux-Meules (Québec) G4T 1R8
Telephone : 418 986-2691

Côte-Nord
Ministère des Transports
Airfare Reduction Program
625, boulevard Laflèche, bureau 110
Baie-Comeau (Québec) G5C 1C5
Telephone: 418 295-4765

Eeyou Istchee Baie-James
Administration régionale Baie-James
Airfare Reduction Program
110, boulevard Matagami, C. P. 850
Matagami (Québec) J0Y 2A0
Telephone: 1 800 516-4111

Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine
Ministère des Transports
Airfare Reduction Program
285, chemin Principal
Cap-aux-Meules (Québec) 4T 1R8
Telephone : 418 986-2691

Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
Ministère des Transports
Airfare Reduction Program
285, chemin Principal
Cap-aux-Meules (Québec) G4T 1R8
Telephone : 418 986-2691