The B.C. government says it will be the first Western Canadian province to provide gender-affirming lower surgeries next year. Photo courtesy CBC.
The B.C. government says starting next year, transgender people will not have to leave the province for gender-affirming lower surgeries.
The province announced gender-affirming procedures will be available within the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority in 2019, which makes B.C. the first province in western Canada to offer lower surgeries.
The government says people who seek lower surgery have to go to Montreal or out of the country.
“The trans community has advocated over a number of years for improved access to care, including access to complex lower surgeries within B.C.,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a statement.
Transgender British Columbians will soon have improved access to publicly funded gender-affirming surgery closer to home. @VCHhealthcare @PHSAofBC https://t.co/ndOUpu86y8 pic.twitter.com/KJ5RtmSLew
— Adrian Dix (@adriandix) November 16, 2018
Gender-affirming chest construction and breast augmentation surgeries are also being expanded beyond access in Vancouver and Victoria, as surgeons will be available to perform those procedures in five other communities between the lower mainland and Prince George.
The province estimates 46,000 British Columbians identify themselves as trans or gender diverse and says the number of people travelling out of province for lower surgeries has steadily increased each year.
The government forecasts more than 200 chest and breast surgeries will be performed in B.C. next year.
Effective Nov. 1, people not identifying as male or female have the choice to display an “X” as a third option in the gender field of their driver’s licence, identity card, birth certificate and BC Services card.
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