Two Vancouver city councillors want all birth control in B.C. to be free
Posted February 24, 2020 6:15 pm.
Last Updated February 24, 2020 6:21 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Affordability shouldn’t be an issue when it comes to birth control, according to two Vancouver councillors pushing for all prescription contraception options to be covered under B.C.’s Medical Services Plan.
Christine Boyle is behind a new motion asking the provincial government to absorb those costs.
“The city council in Vancouver cares a lot about gender equity. When you look at the current situation, contraception for people with penises is covered and contraception for people with uteruses isn’t. It’s a historic imbalance,” she says.
However, Boyle admits taxpayers may end up footing the bill.
“Like many proactive health decisions, it would theoretically balance out in costs because people could be making the choices that they want to make. I hope it’s an idea that the province could get behind and it’s just a matter of prioritizing it in terms of budgeting and legislation,” she explains.
Boyle adds this is about gender equity.
“It impacts who has the choices and what choices are available, so we want to take out that cost, so that people of any income can afford reproductive choices that best suit them in their lives in that moment.”
Boyle tells NEWS 1130 city councillors in Victoria have already made a similar request.
Her motion in Vancouver is supported by fellow councillor Jean Swanson.
