Surrogacy Cost in Canada

Surrogacy Cost in Canada: A Complete Guide to the Surrogacy Expenses, Packages and Legal Issues Involved.

When considering surrogacy to build their family, many intended parents first want to know the Surrogacy Cost in Canada. Canada’s fertility-care system is well-organized, and it is practiced in an altruistic model of surrogacy, as opposed to many other countries where commercial agencies of surrogacy deal with surrogates for intended parents, and charge a fee for the surrogate mother.

However, the cost of the surrogacy in Canada for the intended parents can be very different, depending on many factors including the type of fertility treatment needed, the number of attempts at IVF, and the costs of the surrogate’s expenses which the intended parents are allowed to reimburse her for under the federal regulations in relation to her surrogacy.

Canada has an altruistic surrogacy policy which means that intended parents cannot hire a woman to be a surrogate for compensation. However, intended parents can pay for expenses that are related to the woman’s surrogacy and these expenses must comply with the federal regulations with respect to such expenses.

It’s therefore most important to consider the total cost of a surrogacy in Canada and not expect to find a single package price for a Surrogacy in Canada that can be purchased by intended parents.

How Much Does Surrogacy Cost in Canada?

A basic outline for intended parents may range from CAD $60,000 to $100,000 or more and may include the costs of IVF, others required medical treatments, the reimbursement of the expenses of the surrogate, attorney fees, and the costs for the pregnancy and delivery of the surrogate.

Costs of surrogacy vary greatly depending on each family’s specific needs. Therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all “Package Price” for surrogacy in Canada. Some families require only one IVF cycle and the subsequent pregnancy, while others may need multiple embryo transfers or additional fertility treatment. Some may use a donor’s eggs in creating their embryos. Others may require the creation of additional embryos for storage should the first embryo not result in a successful pregnancy.

A general estimated breakdown may look like this:

Canada Surrogacy Cost: What Does It Include?

The cost of surrogacy in Canada includes several different expenses and accordingly it is usually not paid as a single fee. By understanding the various costs that are associated with a surrogacy arrangement, prospective parents can more accurately budget for the process of building a family via surrogacy.

1. IVF and Fertility Treatment

In gestational surrogacy arrangements, IVF is typically one of the largest medical expenses for the intended parents. This includes the intended mother’s eggs or those of an egg donor being retrieved, mixed with the sperm of the intended father or donor in a lab to form embryos which are then transferred to the surrogate’s uterus.

Typically, a basic IVF cycle can cost around $15,000 – $25,000 or more for a single cycle, depending on the specific fertility clinic and all of the associated services that they provide.

Possible extra charges for procedures like ICSI, Assisted Reproduction, embryo testing, and other lab services.

Fertility Matters Canada reports that a single cycle of IVF can cost up to CAD $20,000 or more in Canada, depending on the province and amount of public funding available.

2. Fertility Medications

Typically, fertility medications are listed as separate expenses, and can sometimes cost several thousand dollars on top of the cost of the IVF cycle itself.

The costs for fertility medications such as those required for ovarian stimulation and preparation for egg retrieval can add up to several thousands of dollars for the intended parents in addition to the cost of the IVF treatment itself.

3. Embryology and ICSI

Sometimes, ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) is required to penetrate the outer layer of the egg for fertilization by a single sperm to occur.

In addition to the ICSI there are laboratory expenses for the embryo culture, freezing of surplus embryos and other services provided by the embryology laboratory.

The cost for these elements will vary depending on the specific fertility clinic that is chosen and the reproductive services required by the intended parents.

4. Embryo Freezing and Storage

If there are extra embryos made then they can be frozen for future use by the intended parents.

The cost for Embryo Freezing as well as the cost for annual Storage of embryos at the Clinic and/or at a Repro technology facility elsewhere, and the cost for a Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) cycle, as well as the cost for Thawing and for the Embryology laboratory for the FET cycle.

• Embryo freezing
• Initial storage
• Annual storage
• Frozen embryo transfer
• Thawing and laboratory fees

These small details can also greatly impact the total cost of your desired services when purchasing a surrogacy package in Canada.

Surrogate Mother Cost in Canada

In Canada, the commercial cost of a surrogate mother cannot be paid directly by the intended parents. The intended parents cannot negotiate directly with a potential surrogate mother to pay her to be a surrogate for them.

Pay nothing to the surrogate mother for her time or for carrying a baby as this is prohibited by Canada’s Assisted Human Reproduction Act (AHRA) but the surrogate mother can be reimbursed for her out-of-pocket expenses for surrogacy-related expenditures incurred by her.

The categories of expenses that may be reimbursed to a surrogate mother include amongst others her travel expenses, her and the Intended Parents’ counseling expenses, the legal fees and expenses of the Surrogacy Agreement, her medications and other health care products and services relating to her pregnancy, midwife or doula services and maternity clothing, her groceries and her telecommunications expenses and delivery expenses and her health insurance premiums and health care expenses.

Reimbursement of expenses for the Surrogate Mother in Canada as opposed to a commercial fee for a Surrogate Mother.

As intended parents you should retain all receipts and documentation and have your reimbursement verified by your legal counsel to ensure compliance with all applicable Canadian laws.

Surrogacy Packages in Canada

There are no standardized packages of services for surrogacy in Canada.

Packages can be offered by fertility clinics, by lawyers, by surrogacy consultants and even by other professionals in the field. What services are provided and what they cost can vary considerably. Some examples are listed here.

• Fertility consultation
• IVF treatment
• Embryology services
• Embryo transfer
• Fertility medications
• Surrogate screening
• Counselling
• Legal services
• Pregnancy-related expenses
• Travel support
• Birth planning
• Parentage-related legal work

Before choosing a package, it is best to find out what is included and what is not included by the clinic.

Be sure to ask for a detailed list of what is included and excluded from each package before you make a decision. A lower advertised price may mean that fertility medications, additional embryo transfers, donor eggs, genetic testing, legal fees and other unexpected expenses related to the surrogate’s pregnancy are not included.

IVF Surrogacy Cost in Canada

For IVF surrogacy in Canada, costs for IVF surrogacy can vary depending on whether the intended parents have embryos or not.

The journey to creating embryos for intended parents through IVF includes:

• Fertility consultation
• Medical testing
• Ovarian stimulation
• Egg retrieval
• Sperm collection
• Fertilization
• Embryo culture
• Embryo freezing
• Embryo transfer to the surrogate
• Pregnancy monitoring

Additional attempts at embryo transfer may be required, leading to increased cost of IVF surrogacy in Canada.

In some provinces of Canada, the government offers funding for fertility treatment as well as tax benefits for individuals suffering from infertility. However, the coverage provided by the government differs significantly from province to province.

Gestational Surrogacy Cost in Canada

In modern Canadian surrogacy arrangements most are done as Gestational Surrogacy arrangements where the surrogate carries an embryo that is not genetically related to her.

This would include the costs of IVF, the cost of creating the embryo (if not already done) and the cost of her embryo transfer, as well as her surrogate reimbursement expenses throughout her pregnancy and more. Intended parents should set up a contingency fund to manage the various expenses of the surrogate’s reimbursement throughout her pregnancy.

Additional medical expenses may be incurred if the Intended Parents require the use of a donor egg(s) or further fertility treatment.

This cost also can change during the pregnancy of the surrogate for her reimbursement expenses. A contingency fund is suggested to be put aside by the intended parents for such circumstances.

Donor Egg Surrogacy Cost in Canada

Cost of Donor Egg Surrogacy in Canada

This may add to the overall cost of the donor egg surrogacy cost in Canada for the intended parents.

• Egg donor screening
• Donor compensation or permitted expense arrangements
• Donor medical testing
• Egg retrieval
• IVF or ICSI
• Embryology
• Embryo freezing
• Surrogate preparation
• Embryo transfer
• Legal services
• Pregnancy-related expenses

Canada has very specific rules regarding payment and reimbursement of donors and surrogates. Intended parents would benefit from consulting with a lawyer to establish their planned arrangement.

Low-Cost Surrogacy in Canada

It is very important that individuals seeking low cost surrogacy in Canada explore all advertised costs prior to making a decision.

Note that countries with surrogate fathering agencies and commercial surrogate fees typically list those fees in their initial advertising. The same is not true in Canada where there is an altruistic model of surrogacy. Therefore lower up-front costs do not necessarily translate into lower overall costs.

Ways to manage the budget may include:

• Comparing fertility clinics
• Checking provincial fertility funding
• Understanding insurance coverage
• Using available embryos where medically appropriate
• Planning for more than one embryo transfer
• Comparing legal-service fees
• Keeping complete expense records
• Understanding which services are included in a package
• Maintaining an emergency or contingency budget

Please note that even though some provinces cover fertility services and treatment, each is covered differently.

Legal Costs for Surrogacy in Canada

A Surrogacy Agreement must be prepared and reviewed by the laws of the province or territory where the intended parents reside. Both the intended parents and the Surrogate should receive independent legal advice.

Legal expenses may cover:

• Drafting the surrogacy agreement
• Reviewing the agreement
• Independent legal advice
• Parentage documentation
• Birth registration support
• Court-related services where applicable
• Legal disbursements

Federal legislation does not prohibit surrogacy agreements between intended parents and a surrogate; however, these agreements are governed by the provinces and are therefore subject to the legislation of the particular province or territory in which the surrogate resides.

Important: As laws relating to family differ from province to province, it is essential that intended parents from around the world seek the advice of a Canadian fertility lawyer prior to committing to any financial or medical arrangement for surrogacy in Canada.

Is Surrogacy Legal in Canada?

Yes, surrogacy is legal in Canada. But Canada is an “altruistic” surrogacy country, which means that, by law, surrogates can not be paid for their services.

Payment to a woman for acting as a surrogate is prohibited by the Assisted Human Reproduction Act, as well as some payments to others such as agents, brokers and consultants. In addition, certain expenses related to the arrangement of a surrogate’s services may not be reimbursed.

The distinction between surrogacy arrangements that are legal and those for which there is the risk of serious fines is critical to understand for parties searching for the cost of surrogacy in Canada.

Can Intended Parents Get Financial Support?

The financial assistance available for intended parents depends on several factors including where they reside and the type of treatment they require.

Public programs for fertility within Canada’s provinces also vary. Some provinces cover aspects of IVF and other reproductive technologies whereas others do not provide any support towards fertility treatments.

There are certain fertility and surrogacy-related expenses that are eligible for a claim for a refund of a portion of the related tax under the Medical Expense Tax Credit (the “METC”) when all of the requisite documentation has been received by the Canada Revenue Agency.

Note, however, that not all related expenses will qualify for recognition by the CRA and that proof of expenditures in the form of receipts may be required for some costs.

Factors That Can Increase Surrogacy Cost in Canada

Several factors can increase the final surrogacy cost in Canada, including:

• Multiple IVF Cycles
• Additional IVF Cycles.
• Failed Embryo Transfer

A second or third frozen embryo transfer can add to the medical and laboratory costs already associated with the first transfer.

Donor Eggs

Using donor eggs for a surrogate mother adds to the medical, the laboratory expenses as well as to other expenses, including legal.

Genetic Testing

Embryo genetic testing for medical indications can also increase the costs of the clinic’s and the laboratory’s services.

Pregnancy Complications

Costs associated with additional health care needs of the surrogate mother and the resulting baby (e.g. monitoring, additional medication, additional doctor’s appointments).

Travel

Travel expenses for intended parents from other countries could consist of flights, hotel stay, local transportation and extended stay in Canada.

Legal Requirements

Legal requirements and the procedures to obtain parentage vary from one province to another, depending on individual circumstances.

Cost of Surrogacy in Canada | Reducing the Expenses to Have a Baby via Surrogacy.

Even though surrogacy can be very expensive, with careful planning, the total cost can be under control.

Begin with obtaining written estimates from your fertility clinic for IVF, and for each stage of embryo freezing and transfer, as well as for any additional procedures required for your situation. Also list the costs of necessary medications.

Next, meet with your fertility clinic’s and/or your fertility lawyer’s offices to review costs for the legal structure of your choice and legal fees.

Your province may provide some form of funding for fertility treatment for residents.

It is also important to build a contingency fund for fertility treatment and pregnancy which cannot be timed or predicted.

Don’t merely go for the lowest price surrogacy package in Canada. A written list of ALL included services and a list of ALL excluded services must be compared by intended parents.

Final Thoughts on Surrogacy Cost in Canada

Surrogacy Cost in Canada is more than Fertility Treatment. Typically intended parents need to budget for the Fertility Treatment (IVF, etc.) for embryo creation, as well as other embryo transfers required as part of their journey.

The cost of the Surrogate and the Surrogacy related eligible expenses are also key components to the overall cost of surrogacy in Canada for intended parents. Legally qualified assistance, the costs of the Surrogate’s pregnancy and related medical expenses, as well as health, travel and other insurance costs all need to be factored as well. Additional fertility treatment is also frequently required.

The cost of surrogacy in Canada will also depend on the specific framework of altruistic surrogacy in place in the country, and the intended parents can expect to have eligible expenses related to the surrogacy reimbursed in accordance with federal regulations.

At the end of the day, the cost for surrogacy in Canada for the fertility treatment itself is minimal when compared to the cost of IVF, the various medications, embryo creation, embryo transfers, and the other components of the total cost of a surrogacy journey in Canada. It is therefore very important that before commencing a journey, that intended parents obtain from the fertility clinic a very detailed medical estimate for the various components of their fertility treatment, and then seek independent legal advice regarding the legal requirements for the intended parents’ province of residence.

A very complete financial plan which includes a contingency fund to cover items that cannot be predicted with certainty will also assist intended parents in setting a realistic budget for their future surrogacy journey in Canada.

Frequently Asked Questions About Surrogacy Cost in Canada