Province celebrates fertility treatment tax credit, free birth control meds

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/04/2024 (606 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The premier visited a city clinic Wednesday to underscore the announcement that Manitobans undergoing fertility treatments or having children via surrogacy can now receive double the tax relief.

Tuesday’s provincial budget included several measures aimed at supporting reproductive care, including free prescription birth control.

Manitoba’s fertility tax credit is being increased to reflect the higher cost of in vitro fertilization, the budget noted. The annual, refundable tax credit will now be worth $16,000 for individuals who spend $40,000 on fertility treatments instead of a maximum $8,000 after spending $20,000.

The cost of this tax credit to the province is budgeted at $1.3 million.

The credit was first introduced in 2010 by the NDP government, but the cost of and demand for fertility treatments have increased significantly since then, said Dr. Gordon McTavish, medical director of the private Heartland Fertility Clinic.

McTavish spoke Wednesday during a news conference with Premier Wab Kinew and Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara. McTavish said the tax credit is expected to benefit hundreds of Manitobans. He said one in six people experience infertility and the demand for IVF treatments has grown steadily since the for-profit clinic began offering that service 27 years ago. The clinic will perform about 450 to 500 IVF cycles this year. McTavish said he expects to see a 20 per cent increase in fertility treatments.

The average IVF cycle, including medication, costs $18,000 to $20,000. The tax credit provides relief for 40 per cent of the cost and can be stacked on top of federal tax credits or benefits.

One of the NDP’s election promises was providing free birth control medication to Manitobans. This year’s budget will see that through, at a cost of $5 million annually to the province.

“I think strengthening women’s health care in our province and in our country — and the world, for that matter — only makes for a better health-care system,” said Dr. Michael Boroditsky, president of Doctors Manitoba and a practising OB-GYN. He said providing birth control at no cost will have a big impact in Manitoba.

“Women’s health care is important to everyone.”

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca