Reproductive health advocates still waiting for Holt to keep promise of free birth control

Advocates are calling on the New Brunswick government to make good on its pledge to implement universal, no-cost contraception coverage.

Premier Susan Holt promised to make birth control free during her election campaign in 2024 by signing a pharmacare agreement with the federal government.

“We’re disappointed that the Holt government hasn’t signed a pharmacare deal,” said Tracy Glynn, a founder of Reproductive Justice New Brunswick and the national director of projects and operations for the Canadian Health Coalition.

“There are people across this province that cannot afford or are not able to access contraceptives.”

The Canada Pharmacare Act, introduced by the Trudeau Liberals, aimed to sign agreements with all provinces and territories to cover the cost of contraceptive and diabetes medications and devices.

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What happened to pharmacare for N.B.?

Reproductive health advocates are calling on the Holt government to sign on to national pharmacare and keep her campaign promise to make birth control free.

However the public drug plan now appears to be in limbo, with the federal health minister confirming in November that Ottawa is not in talks with any of the remaining provinces, which includes New Brunswick.

When asked about securing pharmacare in New Brunswick, Health Minister John Dornan said in a statement the province is still interested in further discussion with federal partners and is “particularly interested in securing federal funding to help fulfill our commitment to offer free contraceptives.”

Holt confirmed this to reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday by saying there’s “not a lot of movement” on coming to an agreement, but the premier said her government is still interested.

“We’ve been looking for recognition of our unique realities and flexibility to negotiate a deal that’s going to work for New Brunswickers and that’s not the case right now,” she said.

So far, only P.E.I., Manitoba, Yukon and B.C. have signed on. 

A gendered burden

Martha Paynter, as associate professor of nursing at the University of New Brunswick, said people can spend more than $10,000 on contraception over the course of their lifetime.

“The physical burden and the financial burden of pregnancy is on the body of women, girls and gender diverse people,” she said.

In 2024, New Brunswick’s teen pregnancy rate was 5.8 births per 1,000 teenage women aged 15 to 19, whereas the Canadian average was four births per 1,000 teenage women, according to Statistics Canada.

Paynter is calling on Premier Susan Holt and her government to show “forward thinking” and act on universal contraception coverage.

“There are a lot of priorities, not just within the health-care system,” she said.

“It’s hard to think about those gains … right here and now, but I’m urging us to do that.”

An investment in gender-based violence, advocates say

Paynter said there are many reasons New Brunswick needs free universal access to contraception, but one of the most pressing is the epidemic of gender-based violence. 

“Pregnancy is a period when violence that already exists in an intimate partnership escalates or is introduced,” she said. “We really see the benefit to ensuring that people are having intended pregnancies, that they’re able to plan and that they’re able to choose.”

Insiya Mankani, the policy and advocacy officer at Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, agrees that investing in free, universal contraception is an investment toward addressing gender-based violence. 

Mankani said it would remove a barrier for victims of gender-based violence who may rely on their spouse’s insurance plan.

She points to the issue of reproductive coercion, that can include someone being pressured or forced into pregnancy.

When asked about what universal coverage would change, Mankani pointed to a study conducted by Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights that ranks provinces based on access to contraception. The report found that New Brunswick ranks second to last next to Newfoundland and Labrador.

The New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association said in a statement that cost is still a barrier even though the province funds pharmacist assessment and prescribing for birth control.

“We support improved access at little to no cost for all individuals who have no drug coverage or for those who have a drug plan and still face barriers due to copays or out-of-pocket expenses,” the statement said.

Advocates say universal contraception would also help young people who are uncomfortable talking to their parents about birth control and help many get timely access and avoid the emergency room.