AccessBC

West Coast Leaf, May 27, 2020

BC Gender Equity Report Card 2019/2020

The BC Gender Equality Report Card 2019/2020 assesses the BC government’s progress in advancing human rights and gender justice between December 2018 and early April 2020. It explores six issue areas: access to justice; economic security; freedom from gender-based violence; health care; justice for people who are criminalized; and the rights of parents, children, and youth. Our co-founder Devon Black served as a community reviewer for the report card.

Mission Spooky, May 16, 2020

Advocates say that young people will benefit from MSP coverage of 

The Mission Spooky podcast ran an ad for our campaign on their recent BC episode. There's nothing spookier than unplanned pregnancy and barriers to accessing contraception. Tune in to their episode to hear the ad and to for some spooky BC stories!

The Voice, March 12, 2020

Advocates say that young people will benefit from MSP coverage of 

Adshade said the most effective types of contraceptives, such as IUDs, have high upfront costs and can be quite expensive for students.
 

“The most important change that could happen here is people switching from less reliable, intermittent contraceptives to more longer acting, more expensive contraceptives that are more reliable,” Adshade said.

Burnaby Now, March 7, 2020

Burnaby praised for backing free contraceptives for women

“It’s wonderful to see Burnaby pass this motion and support this important issue,” said Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff, committee chair and co-founder of the AccessBC Campaign for free prescription contraception in BC. “Providing universal coverage for no-cost prescription contraception is a policy based on solid evidence and would have a big impact on public health across the province.” 

Global Citizen, March 6, 2020

All Birth Control Could Soon Be Free in Vancouver

When British Columbia’s 2020 budget was released in February, it did not include universal coverage for prescription contraception, according to Vice. Health centers across B.C. distribute condoms for free. Boyle argues if condoms and vasectomies are available at a reduced cost or fully covered, prescription birth control for women should also be made more easily accessible. City Council Member Jean Swanson has also supported the proposal.

Radio Canada, March 6, 2020

Le soutien grandit pour la gratuité de la contraception sur ordonnance en C.-B.

En début de semaine, c'était au tour du conseil municipal de Vancouver d'approuver une motion pour demander officiellement à la province de financer les moyens de contraception sur ordonnance.

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La Ville de Victoria s'est également prononcée en faveur de cette gratuité fin janvier, et d'autres villes semblent vouloir emboîter le pas. Teale Phelps Bondaroff est le cofondateur de la campagne Access BC qui milite pour cette gratuité.

Vice, March 5, 2020

Vancouver Is Trying to Make Birth Control Free (Just Like Condoms and Vasectomies)

The city council unanimously backed a proposal to urge British Columbia to cover prescription contraception under the provincial government’s medical plan. The measure was first proposed by Vancouver city council member Christine Boyle, who now hopes that the British Columbia government will agree to the idea before the next budget plan.

News 1130, March 3, 2020

Vancouver a step closer to achieving free birth control for women

Councillors in Vancouver have approved a motion asking the province to foot the bill for prescription contraception options in B.C. 

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The idea had been brought forward by Councillor Christine Boyle, who called it a justice issue. 

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She’s pointing out that contraceptive methods aimed at men, like condoms and vasectomies, are available at a reduced cost or fully covered by B.C’s Medical Services Plan.

Rossland Telegraph, Mar. 3, 2020

Vancouver City Council supports free prescription birth control

“It’s wonderful to see Vancouver pass this motion and support this important issue,” said Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff, committee chair and co-founder of the AccessBC Campaign for free prescription contraception in BC. “Providing universal coverage for no-cost prescription contraception is a policy based on solid evidence and would have a big impact on public health, affordability, and equality across the province.”

Burnaby Now, March 3, 2020

Burnaby backs call for free contraceptives for women

Burnaby city council is backing a growing movement calling for the province to offer free prescription contraceptives to women.

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The push is coming from AccessBC, a group fighting for free access to prescription contraceptives.

Capilano Courier, March 1, 2020

BC Government Rejects No-Cost Contraceptives

“Providing universal, no-cost contraception coverage isn’t just good public health policy,” said AccessBC co-founder Devon Black in a press release. “It’s also good fiscal policy, as we’ve seen over and over in jurisdictions where this kind of policy has been implemented. Today’s budget was a big missed opportunity.” 

Global News Radio, Feb. 26, 2020

Should all birth control in BC be free?

Dr. Ruth Habte spoke with Jill Bennett about the importance of removing barriers to accessing prescription contraception in BC before Vancouver City Council debates a motion supporting this policy. 

CBC News, February 17, 2020

Why B.C. should introduce universal contraception coverage in this year's budget

Currently in our province, about 40 per cent of pregnancies are unintended. Nationally, unplanned pregnancies cost our collective health-care systems $320 million annually based on medical costs associated with pregnancy, labour and delivery and abortion...

Universal access to contraception benefits individuals and society, while leading to large economic savings for the government. The wait for universal access to contraception cannot continue. 

The Peak, February 10, 2020

The next step in women’s sexual freedom is access to free contraceptives

Studies have shown that for women and people with uteruses, access to contraceptives hugely increases the ability to attend and remain in a post-secondary institution. If financial barriers to contraceptives are unfairly gendered, then isn’t the simple solution to remove them? As university students, shouldn’t we be trying to uplift everyone to our level, not letting sexist policies derail access to higher education, among other things?

Politicoast, January 31, 2020

EP 174: BC also stands for birth control

Sonia Furstenau joins the race for leader of the BC Greens and other bcpoli stories, an interview with AccessBC for free birth control and does the next Conservative leader needs to be bilingual.

Victoria News, January 29, 2020

Victoria becomes first municipality to endorse campaign for provincially-funded contraception

In a committee of the whole meeting on Jan. 23, Couns. Sarah Potts and Jeremy Loveday presented council with a motion to support AccessBC, a Saanich-based campaign calling on the provincial government to include provisions for free prescription birth control for all residents in the 2020 provincial budget.

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​Council passed the motion unanimously and will now call on the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities to demonstrate support for the campaign as well.

Vancouver Courier, January 28, 2020

Free contraception is a human right

"The decision if and when to have children is a human right, and being able to access to effective contraception is a key part of exercising that right.

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However, in British Columbia, cost is a significant barrier to accessing contraception for many people, particularly those with low incomes, young people, and people from marginalized communities...."

Global News, January 24, 2020

Victoria council calls for funding for all female contraception

Victoria city council has voted unanimously to recommend the provincial government fund all forms of female contraception. Brad MacLeod reports. 

CHEK News, January 24, 2020

Victoria City Council supports no-cost prescription contraception

“We are in an affordability crisis, and people should not have to choose between paying rent and accessing the contraception they need to make decisions about their bodies. This policy will save people and the government money,” said Councillor Sarah Potts. “I am grateful to the community members who have brought this forward. Access to contraception is a truly equalizing act that I am proud to support.”

980 CKNW, January 24, 2020

Victoria city council is calling on the province to provide no-cost birth control

The city of Victoria has voted unanimously to ask the province to move forward on funding contraception under the Medical Services Plan.

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Guest: Sarah Potts, Victoria City Councilor.

Canadian Women's Foundation, January 14, 2020

Reproductive Coercion: What it is, and How to Stop it - Devon Black

Reproductive coercion occurs any time someone pressures another person about their reproductive decision-making, or takes steps that make it harder for that person to freely exercise their reproductive choice(s). It covers a range of behaviours: “stealthing” (a form of sexual assault where someone removes a condom during sex without their partner’s knowledge or consent), destroying or hiding birth control pills, breaking a promise to pull out during sex, poking holes in a condom, lying about having had a vasectomy or tubal ligation, pushing a partner to have sex during certain times in their reproductive cycle, or pressuring someone into a pregnancy or an abortion they don’t want are all examples of reproductive coercion.

Vancouver Sun, January 11, 2020

Campaign for free prescription contraception ramps up ahead of B.C. budget

Free prescription contraception is a no-brainer, according to groups advocating its inclusion in February’s provincial budget. A cost-benefit analysis conducted by Options for Sexual Health in 2010 estimates the B.C. government could save $95 million a year if it paid for universal access to prescription contraception.

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It would also promote equality, giving young people and those with low incomes the same choices as those who are able to pay for their preferred method of contraception.

CTV News, December 5, 2019

Universal contraceptives? B.C. premier says province open to the idea

B.C. Premier John Horgan says his government is open to funding universal, publicly funded contraception as advocates insist the program could actually save money in the long run....

"Even though there are programs in place that can assist some people in accessing contraception there are still people falling through the cracks," Devon Black, co-founder of AccessBC told CTV News via Skype.