Time, cost, and distance are barriers that prevent many from accessing fertility care and achieving their family-building goals. Health Minister Hon Sylvia Jones, and the Ontario government, are tackling some of the financial barriers with the recent funding announcement that adds an additional $150 million over 2 years to improve access to fertility services. This, along with Minster of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy’s commitment to a tax credit for Ontarians paying for out-of-pocket expenses, demonstrates the government’s forward-thinking and support of Ontario families. While more money is available, distance remains a major barrier for more than 1 million Ontarians living outside of major urban centers like the GTA and Ottawa. Markham Fertility Centre is on a mission to make care more accessible to all Ontarians. To this end, Markham Fertility Centre is announcing new partnerships in Orillia, Barrie-Innisfil, and Sudbury that will significantly reduce the travel burden for thousands of fertility patients.
Markham Fertility Centre’s medical director, Dr Meivys Garcia, spoke about the new directive. “We fully appreciate the added struggles faced by those living far from IVF centers. This is why we have expanded our footprint to include 4 locations (in addition to our flagship IVF center in Markham, Ontario), where fertility patients can access diagnostic and monitoring services. With the ability to receive fertility care in Whitby, Barrie-Innisfil, Orillia, and Sudbury, we can effectively reduce the personal and financial burden on patients living in those areas.”
The Barrie-Innisfil location, a collaboration with STROUD Ultrasound, is expected to open early in 2025, while the Sudbury location, a collaboration with WELL Health Diagnostic Centres, is expected to open in spring 2025. At both locations, Markham Fertility Centre will make diagnostic and monitoring services available to all patients, not just patients of Markham Fertility Centre. Opening monitoring to all patients is a significant advancement in patient access, where those living in the region no longer need to struggle to find monitoring services or travel long distances just for ultrasound or blood work appointments. IVF centres are invited to connect with Markham Fertility Centre once these services become available in early 2025.
Renee Higgins, a Sudbury patient who travelled to Markham Fertility, knows firsthand the challenges of living in northern Ontario. Renee recalls, “I spent thousands of dollars and hours traveling between Sudbury and Toronto, taking time off work and risking my life on wintery roads. I am so excited to see that Markham Fertility Centre has established a presence in Sudbury. They will be a welcome addition to the region.”
In addition to the two new northern locations, Markham Fertility has also partnered with DREAM Fertility in Whitby-Oshawa and with HORIZON Fertility in Orillia. In both locations, patients can receive their initial consultation and undergo funded IUI cycles while receiving monitoring services if they are referred to Markham Fertility for more advanced reproductive care.
For more information about Markham Fertility Centre or to learn more about how we are changing the face of fertility care in Ontario, please visit their website or contact Mark Evans, Managing Director at Markham Fertility Centre.
