Judge grants injunction request blocking Alberta’s gender-affirming care legislation

The organizations filed documents to seek the injunction with the Court of King's Bench of Alberta late last year.

Organizations that advocate for members of the LGBTQ2 community are calling a court injunction preventing the Alberta government from banning gender-affirming treatment for people under 16 “a historic win.”

Egale Canada welcomed the decision in a news release on Friday afternoon. Egale along with a group called Skipping Stone and several Alberta families have argued that gender-affirming care legislation introduced in Bill 26 will cause harm.

“As we have long argued, the government should never interfere in the medical decisions of doctors and patients or prevent parents and youth from deciding what medical care is right for them,” Egale Canada said. “Everyone deserves the ability to access health care and participate fully in their communities.

“We are grateful that the court has acted to protect access to critical medical care.”

When she issued the temporary injunction, Justice Allison Kuntz said the legislation raises serious issues that need to addressed in court and that her decision was in order to prevent “irreparable harm” for young patients until the issues at play are addressed.

The organizations filed documents to seek the injunction with the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta in late 2024.

Global News reached out to the Alberta justice minister’s office for comment on the ruling. Heather Jenkins, the press secretary for Justice Minister Mickey Amery, replied with an email that noted Bill 26 “was passed to protect children and youth when making life-altering and potentially irreversible adult decisions about their bodies.”

“Alberta’s government will continue to vigorously defend our position in court and is considering all options with respect to the court’s decision,” she said.