Get fertility treatments
Find out if you can receive government-funded fertility treatments and how to get started.
How it works
Ontario offers a program that provides funding to participating fertility clinics across the province to cover treatment costs for eligible residents. After learning about treatments and what’s covered below, talk to one of the clinics or your doctor to decide what treatment might be best for you.
Eligibility
To be eligible for government-funded fertility treatments, you must live in Ontario and have a valid Ontario health card. Sex, gender, sexual orientation or family status are not considerations in fertility treatment eligibility.
Depending on the type of treatment you choose, there may be additional requirements for coverage, as well as some limits on coverage – please see the chart below.
Treatment types and coverage limits
| Type | What it is | Additional* eligibility | Limits on coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-vitro fertilization (IVF) | Manually fertilizing eggs with sperm in a lab, then transferring the embryo into the uterus. | Must be under the age of 43. | One treatment cycle per patient, which includes the one-at-a-time transfer of all viable embryos. One additional cycle if carrying a baby for someone else (acting as a surrogate). |
| Artificial insemination (AI) | Transferring sperm into the vagina or cervix. | None. | No limit on the number of treatment cycles. |
| Intra-uterine insemination (IUI) | Injecting sperm directly into the uterus (a type of artificial insemination). | None. | No limit on the number of treatment cycles. |
| Fertility preservation | Freezing sperm or egg samples to be used later in either artificial insemination or in-vitro fertilization. | A medical reason – for example, getting treatment for a medical condition that may cause infertility. | One treatment cycle per patient. |
*These factors are in addition to living in Ontario and having a valid Ontario health card.
What’s not covered
The following costs are not covered by the program but may be covered by some private health plans:
- any fertility drugs needed
- about $5,000 per IVF cycle
- about $1,000 per AI (or IUI) cycle
- genetic testing
- storing sperm, eggs and/or embryos
Wait times
There may be wait lists for government-covered fertility services at participating funded clinics. Clinics are responsible for managing their own wait lists and prioritizing patients using the physician’s best clinical judgment.
All funded clinics must regularly report to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care on how the program is doing, including wait list length and average patient wait times, which we are monitoring closely.
Get started
Now that you know what’s available, your next step is to either set up an appointment with your doctor or contact one of the participating fertility clinics to discuss your options. They’ll guide you through the process of confirming your eligibility for the program and accessing funded services.