National Funding Cuts Threaten Reproductive Rights and Healthcare Access
By Jenn Prosser
Sometimes, it feels like it is just getting harder to access basic health care these days. With the illegal and charter-violating legislative agenda from the Alberta government, the ongoing shortage of primary care providers, and ongoing misinformation circling online and in everyday conversations, there are few sources that we can go to for trusted information and access to reproductive health care.
The cuts to national organizations, Abortion Care Canada and Action Canada are significant and will cause harm to individuals and local organizations like Pro-Choice YQL. The loss of federal funding is a problematic signal that routine and preventive health care - like sexual health care, is not a priority. These cuts will compound the problems already occurring: STBBI rates of Syphilis are increasing at an outbreak level in Alberta, mandated restrictions to reliable sexual education, and an unpredictable health care system. We need more access to sexual and reproductive health care and more patient support - not less.
In 2024, Action Canada supported 600 people nationwide to access reproductive health care - including financial support to cover costs for travel from communities outside of urban areas. Abortion Care Canada helped 450 people to access abortion health care. Many are newcomers, queer and trans folks, and live in rural areas. These communities are already underserved by primary medical providers and have less access nationwide. The absence of medical services in many rural and remote areas requires organizations to connect patients to local providers or provide travel support to access health care.
It is the federal government's responsibility to ensure equal access to health care services as protected under the Canadian Health Care Act. A 77% cut to operating funding threatens Abortion Care Canada’s ability to continue operating. The 40% cut to Action Canada means a significant reduction in the patient support they can provide.
Beyond patient care, Abortion Care Canada offers comprehensive and excellent medical provider education on how to provide abortion health care. This education is created by doctors and sexual health educators to ensure a patient-affirming process throughout. It is relied upon by providers across the country, and the loss of access to education will restrict new providers from delivering the best quality of health care to their patients.
Pro-Choice YQL supported 156 patients in 2024, and we collaborated with these national organizations for about 20% of those cases. We were able to broaden options for patients and access to financial support by referring people to both Action Canada and Abortion Care Canada, as well as help patients locally through referrals. This kind of national cooperation ensures better access and more equitable access to health care.
If you can, please support both funding drives by donating directly to Action Canada and Abortion Care Canada. Every dollar will really, truly help.
And, please raise your voice to bring visibility to increase federal and provincial funding and support for access to sexual and reproductive health care. The preventive nature of strong access to comprehensive reproductive health care is significant. It is as essential as ensuring access to vaccines and strong public health programs. Reducing STBBI transmission by making access to testing and treatment as easy as possible is a straightforward way to reduce increased healthcare needs and treatment costs down the road. Ensuring access to abortion as a choice for pregnant people will save lives.
Reproductive and sexual health care is life-saving health care.
