Latest news with #NewBrunswickers'
CBC
30-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Province increases funding for fertility treatments for NB families
New Brunswick families that struggle to have children will be reimbursed for some costly fertility treatments. The provincial government is investing $1.9 million to cover the cost of one round of in vitro fertilization and other forms of insemination for patients in need. Premier Susan Holt made the announcement Wednesday at the province's only fertility clinic in Moncton. She said the support is overdue. "There are barriers that exist to making these kinds of dreams come true," she said. "At the end of the day, it shouldn't matter how much money you have if you want to have a family." The funding is in addition to an existing provincial grant program which provides a maximum of $5,000 to patients for treatment. "In this day and age, $5,000 does not cover the cost of these treatments," Holt said, adding that fertility treatments in this province cost an average of $20,000 per round. The provincial funding also comes after Prime Minister Mark Carney made a campaign promise earlier this month that the Liberals would introduce a new IVF program that funds up to $20,000 per round of treatment. WATCH | 'There are barriers that exist to making these kinds of dreams come true' Province will fund one round of fertility treatment for N.B. families 3 hours ago Duration 1:42 Carney also said he would work with provinces and territories to ensure all Canadians can access the new program, which Holt said came as a pleasant surprise. "I think with those two commitments on the table, I think New Brunswickers' needs will be well served." When asked whether the program could expand if the promised funding runs out, Holt said her team estimates that the $1.9 million will be enough to cover all patients who currently need treatment in New Brunswick. She also said they would re-evaluate "to make sure no one is prevented from accessing fertility health care because of their financial situation." At the announcement, Holt held back tears as she shared her own struggle with fertility. She said she and her husband had to weigh the cost of treatment with their desire to start a family. "It was a really tough time for my husband and I," the mother of three said. "We had to look at whether we could afford it — whether we could afford to have a family." 1 in 6 Canadians experience infertility Brigitte Laplante of Dieppe and her husband Patrick have been trying to start a family for three years. Laplante was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a common hormonal disorder which can cause fertility issues. The 27-year-old is in the early stages of fertility treatments and said not knowing whether their future will include having children weighs on them emotionally. "I would be lying if I said it was easy," Laplante said. She said people don't understand that the question "When are you having kids?" can be hurtful. "Deep down, it's breaking people." The Laplantes have discussed taking out loans or remortgaging their home to afford treatment. And she said seeing her friends and family get pregnant was difficult. "It's a constant thought behind everything going on of, 'Am I ever going to experience that?'" Carolynn Dubé, executive director of Fertility Matters Canada, said one in six Canadians experience infertility. She said historically, a patient's ability to have a baby depended on their income and where they live. "In a province like New Brunswick, where we've seen population challenges and a declining birth rate, this matters a lot," she said about the province's funding. Dubé said many people who want children but can't have them naturally are being "priced out" of parenthood due to a lack of resources. She said even if families can afford treatment on their own, a single round of treatment does not guarantee positive results. "In jurisdictions where public funding for fertility care exists, IVF babies comprise five to ten per cent of the total number of babies born. That number drops to two to three per cent in regions without funding."
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
I'm confident new law will fend off lawsuit: Holt
Premier Susan Holt says she's 'quite confident' a new law will help Vitalité Health Network fend off legal action from an Ontario-based travel nurse company. And she's basically shut down any notion that the Liberals will call a public inquiry into the travel nurse contracts signed in New Brunswick, despite calling for the Progressive Conservatives to do exactly that when they were in power. Canadian Health Labs (CHL) is suing Vitalité, alleging 'numerous breaches of contract' and a failure to make payments on time – or not at all. The core of CHL's lawsuit revolves around four allegations: that Vitalité underused CHL workers, didn't pay the agreed-upon amount for the services it received, stopped using the company's workers as of Jan. 30 despite the contract running until at least Feb. 5 next year, and encouraged CHL workers to instead work for another travel nurse company, or for Vitalité. It's seeking unspecified damages and costs, with interest, and wants the court to issue injunctions preventing Vitalité from contacting CHL employees about job opportunities. None of the allegations have been proven in court, and the province hasn't filed a defence. When contacted on Wednesday, CHL declined to comment, and Vitalité said it was unaware it was facing legal action. Against the backdrop of the lawsuit, however, is legislation introduced by the Liberals two days before CHL filed its notice of action and statement of claim. An Act Respecting Travel Nurses, say the Liberals, 'would cancel the contract and aim to protect the government from legal action.' That legislation was introduced on March 19, and the lawsuit was filed two days later. On Thursday, Brunswick News asked Holt about the legislation, which isn't in effect yet, and the timing of CHL's action. 'The timing certainly was interesting: we tabled legislation and then their lawsuit landed,' she said. 'We have long felt an issue with the contract with CHL, and there's a process to go through – both the legislative process and the legal process – but we are going to fight to defend New Brunswickers' interests against a bad contract.' Later, Holt was asked for her thoughts on whether the new legislation will stand up to the lawsuit. 'I feel quite confident in the legislation that we've put forward,' she said. 'I think it's strong and it will do what we need it to do … I think our case against the CHL is strong. In the face of a bad contract, I don't know how they can defend it, but we're putting the mechanisms in place to protect New Brunswickers.' The contract between CHL and Vitalité was signed in December 2022, and doesn't expire until at least February next year. CHL provided 'teams' of employees for $10,000 a day – a much higher rate than other travel nurse companies were charging, according to the government. Holt was also asked about whether the Liberals will call a public inquiry into the travel nurse contracts – something the party wanted the previous Progressive Conservative government to do in June last year. That call came after a legislative committee questioned senior health officials about the contracts for days. 'Today, the Official Opposition echoes the call of former health minister Dorothy Shephard for a public inquiry into the mismanagement that led to the signing of these private travel nurse contracts and the premier's involvement in it,' read part of a Liberal press release issued at the time. The committee, which also called for a public inquiry because it felt too many questions about the contracts hadn't been answered, included Liberal MLAs Chuck Chiasson, Keith Chiasson, and Benoit Bourque. In January, Holt told Brunswick News that the government hadn't decided whether to call an inquiry. On Thursday, she seemed to inch closer to plainly saying there won't be one, and suggested the work that would be done by an inquiry is already being done. 'We are trying to fix the issue that was created by the bad contract with CHL, and get access to the information we need, and make the changes we need to get out of that contract and make sure that New Brunswick nurses have the opportunities to practice here – that New Brunswickers that are getting the service they deserve at a fair and competitive price, and under fair and competitive terms,' Holt said. 'We're trying to move forward to make sure that something like CHL doesn't happen again, but that we also get to the bottom of why it happened. So that work is being done, not under the structure of a formal public inquiry.'
