Canada invests millions of dollars into abortion care, reproductive health services
Canadians who need help accessing sexual and reproductive health services, like abortion care, are about to get a boost in funding from the government.
Health Canada recently announced over $5.4 million to support five national organizations through the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund, aiming to reduce barriers to services.
The federal government says many women continue to face significant barriers when seeking access to essential services like abortion, fertility treatment, endometriosis care, and menopause support.
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“Addressing these gaps is critical to ensuring that all women can make informed decisions about their health and receive timely, compassionate, and comprehensive care,” reads an announcement.
The funding supports a wide range of evidence-informed and innovative projects that improve access to sexual and reproductive health services and resources for women and underserved groups.
Organizations receiving funding include:
- Abortion Care Canada — $949,038
- Fertility Matters Canada — $860,078
- The Canadian Association of Midwives — $728,305
- The Endometriosis Network Canada — $966,884
- The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada — $1.93 million
“Equitable access to abortion nationwide is essential for gender equity and bodily autonomy. However, substantive barriers to care remain well beyond those more commonly known, such as geographic disparity,” stated Abortion Care Canada Executive Director TK Pritchard.
“Funding provided to Abortion Care Canada ensures that those accessing abortion today are well supported, and enables us to design and implement solutions to sustainably remove barriers for the future.”
According to the federal government, these organizations will use the funding to develop resources and raise awareness for abortion care, endometriosis care, fertility services, and menopause and perimenopause management. Not only will the projects improve the care Canadians receive and address the lack of access, but they will also address discrimination and geographic isolation in rural communities.
“A strong society and economy is built on women’s equality, where women can achieve success without systemic barriers holding them back,” reads the announcement. “By improving access to information, tools, and supports for these health conditions, we can help women thrive, strengthening Canada’s workforce and economy.”
Since 2021, the Canadian government has provided $86.4 million to support 40 projects through the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund.
To learn more, read Health Canada’s announcement.