Quebec petition for free contraception gathers record-breaking support

A petition calling on the Quebec government to grant free access to all contraceptive methods has garnered nearly 100,000 signatures, far surpassing any petition so far this session.

The petition was presented Tuesday afternoon in the Red Room of the National Assembly by Québec Solidaire MNA Ruba Ghazal.

The petition was spearheaded by the sexual and reproductive health advocacy group Fédération du Québec pour le planning des naissances. The movement was inspired by Donald Trump's re-election to the White House. The day after the election, tens of thousands of Quebecers had already signed it.

In total, the petition collected 96,132 names, with the signing period ending Monday.

"What I felt was a kind of outlet for the population — women and men — in response to the extremely troubling election of Donald Trump, who is a threat to our economy, but also to women's right to choose," said Ruba Ghazal in an interview on Radio-Canada's Tout un matin Tuesday.

"It's as if Quebecers wanted to be a bulwark against Trump's election."

The left-wing second opposition party has been advocating for free access to contraception since the 2022 elections, Ghazal reminded reporters Tuesday.

The cost of such a measure was previously estimated at $48 million, she added, arguing that the government could save $71 million by preventing numerous unplanned pregnancies.

The petition text highlights that 40 per cent of pregnancies in Canada are unplanned, leading to significant public costs and consequences for the health-care system, such as overcrowded services.

It also notes that the cost of contraception is the main barrier to access in Quebec and that every dollar invested in this area can save $90 in public expenses related to managing unplanned pregnancies.

This petition ranks sixth among the most popular petitions of the past 15 years at the National Assembly.

It is also the one with the most signatures since the re-election of the Legault government in 2022. The second-place petition, last fall, called for cancelling tuition hikes for students from outside Quebec, gathering just over 33,000 signatures.

The Legault government will be required to respond to the petition in writing. According to the National Assembly's rules, it has until the end of January to do so.

When asked about the matter Tuesday afternoon, Minister for the Status of Women Martine Biron acknowledged that women generally bear the highest cost for contraception.

However, she cautioned that public funds must be used carefully, noting that two out of three Quebec women already have insurance covering contraception costs after deductibles.

Discussions are ongoing with Health Minister Christian Dubé and the federal government, Biron said.

British Columbia became the first Canadian province last year to offer free access to contraception. In Manitoba, more than 12,000 people took advantage of free birth control in October, the first month that province covered the full cost of about 60 commonly used products.

Earlier this year, the Trudeau government amended legislation to allow agreements with provinces and territories to provide free contraceptives and diabetes medications.