May 17, 2022

BC LIBERAL'S IVF POLICY PROPOSAL ENDORSED BY COALITION

The Fertility Coalition of BC (FCBC) recently welcomed the BC Liberal's announcement to fund in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

The FCBC is a non-partisan coalition advocating for access to fertility treatments in the province.

The BC Liberals are advocating for the provincial government to pay for one IVF treatment cycle per patient similar to policies in other provinces such as Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec. The program would be fully available to individuals and families earning up to an annual combined income of $150,000.

“One in six families in B.C. struggle with fertility challenges, and yet British Columbia fails to provide financial assistance to those going through infertility treatments,” said BC Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon.

In a statement, the FCBC added that the lack of government-funded IVF program has resulted in gross inequality of care for people living in British Columbia.

“Having spent my life savings and six years of treatment to conceive my child I believe that having a child should not be considered a privilege for only those that can afford it.” Says FCBC founder Penny Blesch. “I founded the Fertility Coalition of British Columbia to unite a coalition of fertility stakeholders to lobby the BC government to remove the financial barriers for all British Columbians and to provide everyone with equal and equitable access to fertility care and treatment.

The lack of funding for fertility care has disproportionately impacted LGBTQ2S+ people, low-income women, and those who through no fault of their own find themselves diagnosed or suffering from infertility. Unlike their peers living in Ontario and Quebec, British Columbians have had to pay out of pocket for expensive medical procedures in order to have a child. This uneven medical coverage based on geography alone is an injustice and needs to be immediately addressed.

“Fertility challenges have a significant impact on one’s mental health, personal relationships, and productivity at work. The cost of fertility treatment is the leading barrier to accessing fertility care in Canada. Supporting individuals and families with the up-front, out-of-pocket cost of the treatment needed to help all British Columbians with their desire to have a baby is long overdue and we applaud the BC Liberal party for making family building a priority.” Carolynn Dube, Executive Director, Fertility Matters Canada.

We believe that access to fertility treatments in British Columbia should no longer be a privilege and look forward to working with all elected officials in BC to make this a reality.

Online article, Print of article

May, 2022

The Fertility Coalition of BC Applauds BC Liberal's New Policy to Fund IVF

VANCOUVER Canada - As a non-partisan coalition advocating for access to fertility treatments in the province, the Fertility Coalition of BC (FCBC) welcomes today's BC opposition government announcement to fund in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. 

FCBC strongly encourages the Premier and BC Ministry of Health to change their government's stance by taking a hard look at the facts: infertility is a medically recognized condition, and the lack of government-funded IVF program has resulted in gross inequality of care for people living in British Columbia.

“Having spent my life savings and six years of treatment to conceive my child I believe that having a child should not be considered a privilege for only those that can afford it.” Says FCBC founder Penny Blesch. “I founded the Fertility Coalition of British Columbia to unite a coalition of fertility stakeholders to lobby the BC government to remove the financial barriers for all British Columbians and to provide everyone with equal and equitable access to fertility care and treatment.

The lack of funding for fertility care has disproportionately impacted LGBTQ2S+ people, low-income women, and those who through no fault of their own find themselves diagnosed or suffering from infertility. Unlike their peers living in Ontario and Quebec, British Columbians have had to pay out of pocket for expensive medical procedures in order to have a child. This uneven medical coverage based on geography alone is an injustice and needs to be immediately addressed. 

“Fertility challenges have a significant impact on one’s mental health, personal relationships, and productivity at work. The cost of fertility treatment is the leading barrier to accessing fertility care in Canada. Supporting individuals and families with the up-front, out-of-pocket cost of the treatment needed to help all British Columbians with their desire to have a baby is long overdue and we applaud the BC Liberal party for making family building a priority.” Carolynn Dube, Executive Director, Fertility Matters Canada.

We believe that access to fertility treatments in British Columbia should no longer be a privilege and look forward to working with all elected officials in BC to make this a reality.

For media interviews, please contact: Penny Blesch, Founder of Fertility Coalition of BC

Phone: 778-668-8121 Email: plblesch@gmail.com