The Ontario government is proposing a new tax credit that could cover up to 25 per cent of eligible fertility expenses for up to $5,000 each year. The province announced on Thursday that this credit, effective January, could cover expenses for in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, fertility medications, travel for treatment and diagnostic testing. "This initiative reflects the depth of our government's commitment to reducing financial barriers and making fertility treatments more accessible to families right across Ontario," Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy told reporters on Thursday afternoon.
"As I've often said, we believe strong families help build strong communities. We want to ensure no one in Ontario is left behind when it comes to achieving their dreams of becoming a parent." Outside of a proposed tax credit, the province said it is investing $150 million over the next two years to expand Ontario's fertility program – a cash-flow injection that it says will "triple" the number of families who are able to receive government-funded IVF cycles, as the capacity for fertility clinics expands and waitlists at hospitals and community clinics reduce.
Under the current Ontario Fertility Program (OFP), 50 clinics across the province can offer publicly-funded fertility services, like artificial insemination and IVF, to Ontarians. "Our government's investment will ensure tens of thousands of more Ontario families can access fertility services by expanding the programs to incl.