Fertility perks are key benefit companies can offer in tight labour market, advocates say

When Shirley Manh and Jason Blechta decided they wanted to start having kids, they didn't expect it would take so long and cost so much.

"We never imagined it would cost anything to conceive a child," said Manh, 38.

The Ottawa couple estimate they've spent $20,000 on fertility treatments over the past year and a half, and they plan to keep trying for as long as it takes.

Luckily, Manh's fertility medication is covered under both of their workplace drug plans, but the costly procedures aren't.

"The treatment costs are roughly on par with the actual medication costs — if the treatment cost is $20,000, drugs are $20,000. So it's still a lot of money out of pocket if you're not covered," said Blechta, who has been keeping a tally of their fertility bills.

As the costs climbed, he started advocating for fertility benefits at work, raising the issue at quarterly all-staff meetings over the last year.

"Pretty much every quarterly [meeting], I just raise my hand and ask: 'What kind of coverage can we start to offer for people going through fertility treatment?'" said Blechta, 38, who works at the Ottawa office of an international fibre-optics company.

Manh and Blechta are hardly alone in their fertility struggles or in their need for better benefits.

Roughly one in six couples in Canada experience infertility, a number that the Public Health Agency of Canada says has doubled since the 1980s.

For those who seek help conceiving, the cost of one round of in vitro fertilization (IVF) can cost about $20,000, according to Fertility Matters Canada. Certain provinces offer coverage for IVF, but it's limited.

The advocacy group commissioned a survey in December 2020, and found that just five per cent of employers in Canada offer coverage for both fertility drugs and procedures. The survey by consulting firm Mapol Inc. assessed the coverage of fertility treatments by looking at 86 Canadian employer benefits plan contracts.

But some of Canada's largest corporations are now starting to provide coverage for procedures like IVF, thanks to pressure from employees and a competitive labour market.

Tara Wood, president of Conceivable Dreams, has been working alongside Fertility Matters Canada in advocating for affordable fertility treatment for more than five years.

One year ago, she met with leaders of some of Canada's Big Five banks and walked them through why they should be offering fertility benefits to their staff.