Subjects: WOM, LGB, CFG, MAT, DEI
Government of Canada Improves Sexual and Reproductive Health Care for Two-Spirit, Trans, and Non-Binary People
VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 28, 2022 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada firmly believes that everyone should have access to safe and consistent sexual and reproductive health services. To do so, we are committed to reducing barriers to access that continue to exist from coast to coast to coast.
We know that in Canada, Two-Spirit, trans and non-binary (TTNB) people are often unable to access inclusive sexual and reproductive health services due to a lack of safety in health care settings and/or a lack of provider knowledge about TTNB health. Today, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, announced more than $3.8 million in funding from the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund for a project by Trans Care BC.
Trans Care BC will receive $3,825,393 to help address barriers to sexual and reproductive health care encountered by TTNB people due to discrimination and lack of provider knowledge. This project aims to improve access to gender-affirming care by developing educational resources for health care providers and TTNB people living in British Columbia. These resources will be focused on three key areas, including sexual health promotion and harm reduction; sexual desire, function, fertility and perinatal care; and gender-affirming post-operative care. This initiative will help reduce health care disparities experienced by far too many gender diverse people in Canada.
This investment reflects our belief that no matter who you are or where you live, we will always protect reproductive rights in Canada.
"People of all genders and identities deserve to be their true, authentic self and have access to the care and services that they need to lead a happy and healthy life. As Two-Spirit, trans, and non-binary people in Canada continue to disproportionally experience poorer health outcomes caused by stigma and discrimination, organizations like Trans Care BC are doing important work to find solutions. Together with organizations such as Trans Care BC, we are committed to improving access to sexual and reproductive health services and address the barriers to gender-affirming care."
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health
"People across the country, regardless of their sexual orientation, should have access to sexual and reproductive health care services that are safe and stigma-free. I commend dedicated organizations like Trans Care BC and their work to improve access to these services for Two-Spirit, trans and non-binary people. The Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan will work with community leaders to continue improving the health and wellbeing of 2SLGBTQI+ people in Canada. Everyone has the right to be their authentic self, which includes having barrier-free access to a full suite of sexual and reproductive health services that they need to lead a happy and healthy life."
The Honourable Marci Ien
Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth
"Trans Care BC is honoured to receive the sexual and reproductive health funding from Health Canada. This financial support provides our program with a unique opportunity to improve the availability of educational resources over a wider geographic area, which will lead to a better quality of gender-affirming health care.
In keeping with Trans Care BC's strong commitment to inclusion, our team is weaving decolonizing and intersectional approaches into these new resources, providing access to culturally safer information while improving health literacy. The funding allows our team to further support care providers so that they offer culturally safer gender-affirming care."
Marria Townsend, Medical Director, Trans Care BC
- Budget 2021 committed $45 million over three years, starting in 2021-22, to improve access to sexual and reproductive health care support, information, and services for people in Canada who face the greatest barriers to access.
- Of this $45 million commitment, $24.9 million has been allocated to date. Nine contribution agreements have been signed, for a dollar value of $15.2 million. Of these nine projects, two address access to abortion, five address 2SLGBTQI+ communities and two address youth. Two include components focusing on Indigenous Peoples. In addition, per capita funding of $9.7 million will be provided to the Province of Quebec to support community-based organizations located in Quebec.
- The Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund was created to support a wide range of evidence-informed and innovative projects for people in Canada who are at increased risk for poorer sexual and reproductive health outcomes, including members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, Indigenous and racialized people, women and youth.
- In addition, Budget 2022 committed $79 million over six years to help support people in Canada who want to become parents as well as allow:
- medical expenses related to a surrogate mother or a sperm, ova, or embryo donor fees paid to fertility clinics and donor banks in Canada in order to obtain donor sperm and ova to be eligible under the Medical Expense Tax Credit for 2022 and subsequent taxation years.
SOURCE Health Canada
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