Foreign service officers denied fertility treatment coverage file grievance

Canadian foreign service officers stationed overseas are being denied coverage for fertility treatments, and their union is fighting back.

The Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers (PAFSO) filed a policy grievance in July after members were denied fertility treatment coverage — including in vitro fertilization — because the Public Service Health Care Plan doesn't cover procedures outside the standard Ontario Health Insurance Plan.

Around two dozen PAFSO members have been affected so far. One member paid approximately $25,000 out of pocket for fertility treatment. "People who are abroad have been basically forced to do this themselves," said PAFSO president Pam Isfeld. "The principle for people serving abroad is that you should not be disadvantaged compared to what you would get if you're living in Canada."

Ontario offers government-funded fertility treatments through the Ontario Fertility Program, and Quebec, British Columbia, and Manitoba provide similar coverage. But diplomats posted overseas can't access those provincial programs, leaving them to pay the full cost themselves.

PAFSO believes the grievance has strong grounds, pointing to discrimination based on gender, family status, and disability. Isfeld also flagged a broader concern: the cost barrier may discourage young families and women foreign service officers from accepting postings abroad, potentially weakening Canada's diplomatic workforce at a time when the service is still rebuilding from a years-long hiring freeze in the 2010s.

"If this is delayed and people are not able to start families because they're overseas, that's a major loss," Isfeld said. "You don't want all of your embassies abroad to be staffed by people 45 and over. You need younger people building up experience."

Global Affairs Canada directed questions to the Treasury Board, which manages the Public Service Healthcare Plan. Treasury Board did not respond to requests for comment.