Ottawa, Ontario November 15, 2018
Media Release
Canadian Taxpayers Fund Surrogacy Births for Foreigners
Canada has become the most desirable country in the world for foreigners to have a child born to them through surrogacy. There are very good reasons for this. Unlike most other countries, there are no restrictions on foreigners making surrogacy arrangements in Canada, and the cost of these arrangements is paid by the Canadian taxpayer.
Canadian Taxpayer Subsidizes Foreign Consumer
The reason that the Canadian taxpayer pays most of the costs of foreign surrogacy arrangements taking place in Canada is due to the fact that a Canadian surrogate mother is entitled to publicly funded health care throughout the pregnancy, during the delivery and after the birth. It is irrelevant whether she is carrying the child for herself or for residents of a foreign country. Canada’s neonatal care is of the highest quality and is also publicly funded,- which provides an additional benefit for foreign surrogate couples.
Pregnancy costs and delivery costs, even for an uneventful pregnancy, are considerable. The average uncomplicated birth in Canada costs the taxpayer between $3,000 and $6,000 depending on whether it is a vaginal or a caesarean delivery. Complications in pregnancy can increase this figure alarmingly. For instance, according to the Canadian Institute of Health Information, care for a baby born at 29 weeks weighing less than a kilogram, costs an average of $91,946. Further, a Canadian woman carrying a foreigner’s child by surrogacy, who is employed at the time of her pregnancy, may also qualify for employment insurance benefits to a maximum of $6,500.00 after the pregnancy. This is an additional enticement for a Canadian surrogate mother.
Canadian Citizenship by Surrogacy
Canada is also efficient about granting legal parental rights. It varies by province, but generally speaking, parents of surrogate children can be declared legal parents without difficulty in just a few days, and can be issued a birth certificate within weeks. Another advantage for foreign parents is that a child born in Canada has a right to Canadian citizenship, and a passport can be issued for that child in short order. That child is then free to re-enter Canada at any time, and later sponsor his/her parents.
Demands for Canadian Surrogates Increase
Under these circumstances, it is understandable that Canada has become the most popular location to carry out surrogacy arrangements by foreigners.
Data indicate that half the children born to Canadian surrogate mothers in British Columbia are for parents who live outside Canada. Data from other provinces are not publicly available, but it is understood there are large numbers of such surrogacies taking place in the other provinces as well. This number will only increase because of the huge benefits provided to foreigners for births by surrogacy in Canada.
Health Canada is currently proposing new regulations relating to surrogacy arrangements under the Assisted Human Reproduction Act. Unfortunately, it has not amended the regulations to prohibit foreign surrogacy arrangements in Canada.
Consequently, Canadians will continue to pay for foreigners to have a child born to them through surrogacy in Canada.
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For further information contact:
Gwendolyn Landolt Diane Watts
National Vice-President Researcher
REAL Women of Canada REAL Women of Canada
(905) 787-0348 (613) 236-4001
(905) 731-5425 email: realwcna@rogers.com
email: realwcto@realwomenofcanada.ca
Web: www.realwomenofcanada.ca