Barriers to Access to Abortion Through a Legal Lens

In addressing whether the procedure for obtaining abortions was operating equitably across Canada, the 1977 Badgley Report concluded that for many women, access to abortion was “practically illusory.” Sadly, although abortion on request became legally permissible for Canadian women in 1988, access to a safe and legal abortion remains practically illusory for many women today. A woman seeking an abortion in Canada must overcome numerous barriers. She must find a way to secure for herself some of the limited resources that our health care system provides for abortion. She must also expend her own, often scarce, personal resources: her time, her money, and her emotional energy. Access is also compromised by other factors such as the lack of information, support, and privacy.

The ultimate goal is to contribute to the development of legal strategies aimed at achieving meaningful access to abortion for all women in Canada.