Home
NewsNewsA new Ipsos survey commissioned by Fertility Matters Canada finds 49% of Canadians with an opinion support a national baseline for IVF funding support, with backing rising to 59% among those aged 18–34. One in eight Canadians say cost has already forced them or someone close to delay or abandon fertility treatment.
Almost half of Canadians with an opinion, 49 per cent, support establishing a national baseline of public IVF funding support across provinces and territories, according to a new Ipsos survey commissioned by Fertility Matters Canada (FMC). The findings arrive as Health Ministers from federal, provincial, and territorial governments convene in Winnipeg, with FMC calling on all parties to place fertility care firmly on the agenda.
The Ipsos poll, conducted October 2–7, 2026, surveyed 1,001 Canadians aged 18 and over. Its findings reveal both meaningful public support for federal action on IVF costs and a striking gap in awareness about what treatment actually costs.
The credibility interval for the survey is ±3.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
The survey was specifically designed to examine Canadians’ views on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s 2025 federal election commitment to provide up to $20,000 toward a single standard cycle of IVF treatment, making it more affordable for Canadians who want to become parents.
Four in ten Canadians with an opinion (46 percent) support that proposed program, with 21 percent strongly supporting it and 25 percent somewhat supporting it, against 20 percent who oppose it. Support is notably higher among younger adults: 57 per cent of those aged 18–34 back the proposal, compared with 38 per cent of Canadians aged 55 and older.
Perhaps the most striking single finding in the survey is this, 60 percent of Canadians did not know that a single IVF cycle can cost approximately $20,000 or more. That level of public unawareness sits at the heart of FMC’s advocacy position, it is difficult to build political pressure around a cost burden that most of the population does not realise exists.
The cost reality for patients is significant. A single round of IVF can cost approximately $20,000, including medication and medical care. Many patients require multiple cycles before achieving a successful outcome. For couples who cannot absorb those costs privately and whose province does not offer meaningful public coverage, the result is straightforward: they cannot pursue the treatment they need.
One in six Canadian adults are affected by infertility over their lifetime. Yet the support available to them varies dramatically depending on where they live.
Ontario provides coverage for one cycle of IVF treatment, excluding medication. Alberta provides coverage for oncology patients only. Most other provinces offer some form of tax credit, but this requires patients to cover costs upfront, with the eventual benefit dependent on their overall tax position. The result is a patchwork of coverage with no national floor, where geography and financial means play an outsized role in determining who can actually access care.
Delivering on the Prime Minister’s campaign commitment would establish a baseline of coverage across the country, a floor beneath which no province would fall and complement existing provincial and territorial programs rather than replace them.
The statistics in this survey have faces behind them. Jessica Spindler, Board Director of Fertility Matters Canada and an IVF patient described what the financial reality of fertility treatment looks like from the inside:
“It took more than six years of fertility treatment before I was finally able to hold my son in my arms. I know firsthand the hope, heartbreak and sacrifice that come with the journey to parenthood. But for too many Canadians, that journey ends simply because they cannot afford to continue. Where you live or what you earn should never determine your ability to build a family.”
Carolynn Dubé, Executive Director of Fertility Matters Canada set out what the organisation is asking of policymakers:
“These findings demonstrate that Canadians recognize the importance of making fertility treatment more accessible. For too many individuals and families, the financial burden of treatment is simply too great. Federal funding represents an important opportunity to help remove these barriers and ensure more Canadians have the opportunity to build their families.”
With Canada’s fertility rate at historic lows and provincial Health Ministers meeting in Winnipeg this week, Fertility Matters Canada is calling on Ministers to prioritise fertility care in their discussions with the federal government on health care funding and to include it in the next federal budget.
The organisation’s position is that implementing the Prime Minister’s commitment would achieve three things simultaneously: reduce financial barriers to treatment, improve equitable access across provinces and territories, and complement rather than undermine the coverage programmes that some provinces have already put in place.
Alpha Controls & Instrumentation Inc. has been selected by FertiTech Canada Inc. as its third-party calibration partner for Nilotech temperature probes. The partnership channels Canadian IVF laboratories and fertility clinics using Nilotech equipment to Alpha Controls for professional, accredited calibration services, while FertiTech continues to handle equipment supply and gas sensor calibration.
In the UK, a Ten Minute Rule Bill has been introduced in the Commons to create a legal right to paid time off for fertility treatment, aiming to standardize access to time‑sensitive appointments and reduce reliance on employer discretion. The proposal seeks House permission to proceed and spotlights workplace rights during Fertility Awareness Week.
Columbia University Fertility Center has achieved the first confirmed pregnancy using an AI-guided sperm recovery method in a man with azoospermia, as detailed in The Lancet. The STAR system combined advanced imaging, microfluidics, and robotics to retrieve two viable sperm, enabling embryo creation after prior failed surgical and manual attempts.
British Columbia's free IVF program exhausts 2025 funding within months of launch. At least one approved clinic stops accepting new applications. Applicants face aging-out risks and must wait until spring 2026 for next funding allocation.
Singapore’s MOH approves 13 additional genetic conditions for testing before embryos are implanted during IVF, enhancing reproductive genetic screening options.
National Health Service-funded IVF in England varies across regions in terms of access, cycle definitions, and eligibility. While Integrated Care Boards follow NICE guidelines, local implementation differs to meet specific population needs. Current policy reviews aim to enhance consistency and ensure continued access to fertility services across England.
