Nearly 1 in 5 Canadians aged 18 to 34 report cost-related delays in fertility care
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s 2025 campaign pledge of up to $20,000 toward a single IVF cycle has yet to be delivered, and new polling shows cost is already affecting treatment decisions among younger Canadians.
An Ipsos survey for Fertility Matters Canada (FMC) found 19% of Canadians aged 18 to 34 say they or someone close to them delayed or decided against fertility care because of cost or limited public funding. Across all ages, the figure is 13%, or one in eight.
Ipsos surveyed 1,001 Canadian adults through its panel between October 2 and 7, 2026, with a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.8%, 19 times out of 20. Some figures cover only respondents with an opinion.
A budget line still waiting
The pledge was estimated to cost $103 million a year, according to The Canadian Press, but the federal budget released in November 2025 included no IVF funding.
A spokesperson for Health Minister Marjorie Michel told Global News the ministry will “have more to say on this in due course.”
Among Canadians with an opinion, 46% support the proposed program (21% strongly and 25% somewhat), while 20% oppose it. Support reaches 57% among those aged 18 to 34, a group among the most likely to face financial barriers, compared with 38% among those 55 and older.
A federally set baseline of public IVF funding draws 49% support among those with an opinion and 59% among 18- to 34-year-olds. In that age group, 26% say the program would affect their family-building plans or those of someone close to them.
Provinces cover part of the bill
One IVF cycle costs about $20,000 including medication and medical care, and many patients require multiple cycles. Yet 60% of respondents did not know a single cycle can cost $20,000 or more.
Ontario covers one IVF cycle, excluding medication, while Alberta covers oncology patients only. Most provinces offer tax credits, though patients pay upfront and the benefit depends on their overall tax situation.
Ontario also offers a refundable tax credit covering 25% of eligible costs, up to $5,000 a year, while Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan offer refundable credits worth up to $8,000 to $10,000. Quebec ties its credit rate to income, letting lower-income claimants recover up to 80% of costs.
Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS) data show 5,466 patients in Ontario and 3,606 in Quebec received provincial IVF funding in 2025.
Emily McIntosh, executive director of CFAS, said the average heterosexual couple needs three IVF rounds before a successful outcome.
Plans pay for drugs, rarely the clinic
Manulife Canada data shows fertility medication claims rose 21% over five years, with use up 13.5% among women aged 25 to 34 and 24% among those aged 35 to 44. While 56% of employers with Manulife plans cover fertility medication, fewer than 1% cover fertility clinic treatments.
McIntosh called provincial programs “an important, critical start.” “We need insurance programs to be stepping up because the financial barrier is massive,” she said.
“Younger workers tend to prioritize flexibility in how benefits are structured and accessed, and increasingly whether they include things like fertility support or gender-affirming care,” said Terri Botosan, president of employee benefits, retirement and life at HUB International Canada.
Birth rates enter the pension math
Statistics Canada reported that the total fertility rate fell to 1.25 children per woman in 2024, placing the country in the “ultra-low fertility” category.
The Office of the Chief Actuary’s 32nd actuarial report on the Canada Pension Plan assumes the rate will rise from 1.26 in 2023 to 1.35 by 2033. The previous report assumed an ultimate rate of 1.54.
An independent peer review said better-than-expected investment experience and revised assumptions on non-permanent residents lowered the plan’s minimum contribution rate, partly offset by the lower fertility assumption. Sensitivity tests cited in the review use a higher-cost ultimate rate of 1.05.
Advocates take the case to ministers
FMC urged provincial and territorial health ministers, who met in Winnipeg last week, to prioritize fertility care in funding talks with Ottawa and to include it in the next federal budget.
FMC, which notes one in six Canadian adults face infertility over their lifetime, says a federal program would reduce financial barriers, improve equitable access and complement provincial programs.
“For too many individuals and families, the financial burden of treatment is simply too great,” said Carolynn Dubé, FMC’s executive director.
Jessica Spindler, an FMC board director and IVF patient, said it took more than six years of treatment before she could hold her son.
“Where you live or what you earn should never determine your ability to build a family,” she said.
