Federal IVF promise dies in budget as fertility costs squeeze Canadian families
Infertility affects about one in six Canadians, yet access to publicly funded treatment remains a patchwork of provincial responses—and one broken federal promise that employers and benefits planners must now navigate.
Ontario announced last month a $250m investment to expand access to in vitro fertilization through the Ontario Fertility Program. The funding will support 25 clinics, including six new ones, and is expected to triple the number of families receiving publicly funded fertility support.
As per CBC News, more than $1.5m of that allocation expands fertility services in Windsor-Essex, funding approximately 163 IVF cycles at the Victory Reproductive Care clinic.
The federal government, however, has not delivered on a campaign pledge.
According to The Canadian Press, the Liberals promised in April to create a program providing up to $20,000 per cycle of IVF, estimated to cost $103m annually.
There is no mention of IVF in the recent federal budget.
Coverage across provinces remains inconsistent.
As reported by The Canadian Press, British Columbia provides funding up to $19,000 and Quebec covers one full cycle per patient, while Alberta, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories provide no coverage.
Ontario's tax credit covers 25 percent of costs, up to $5,000.
The financial burden is substantial.
A standard IVF cycle costs between $10,000 and $30,000, with many patients requiring multiple cycles and facing additional expenses for travel and time off work.
Baden Colt spent nearly $70,000 across three cycles before welcoming her daughter in 2023.
She and her husband focused on planning, saving, and prioritizing their goal of becoming parents because it was very important to them.
Carolynn Dubé, executive director of Fertility Matters, said infertility has economic implications and negatively affects mental health to a degree comparable to serious illnesses like cancer or heart disease, yet it does not receive the same level of attention.
Prati Sharma, president of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society, which represents about 900 reproductive health professionals, said her organization believes the federal government remains committed to the funding, though timing remains uncertain.
