Montreal

Canada / Quebec / Montreal

OVERVIEW

In Montreal you will find an incredible range of health care options. Contraceptive methods, including condoms, pills, patches, shots, etc, are widely available. While contraceptives are not subsidized by the Canadian health care system for all people, you can find lower-cost pills and IUDs (including insertion) at public sexual health clinics. You can purchase emergency contraception ("the morning after pill") at pharmacies or obtain it at sexual health clinics. There are no formal age restrictions but pharmacists can refuse to dispense EC to people who do not seem "mature." There are many public sexual health clinics that offer STI tests. While some only cover HIV, other clinics can test for a range of STIs, especially if you make an appointment rather than dropping in. There is an HPV vaccination program in place. You can access Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). Regarding abortions, they are legal and there are no formal restrictions. If you have a valid Quebec health insurance card (RAMQ), medical and surgical abortions are free.

Contraception (Birth Control)

General Note: There are many types of contraceptives, also known as "birth control," including IUDs, oral contraceptives, patches, shots, and condoms, etc. If you would like to view a full list, click here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Canada, you can find condoms sold in many stores. For other birth control options, like the pill, IUD, shot or implant, you will need a prescription from a physician or nurse.

Generally, Canada has a high rate of contraceptive use. It's estimated that over 70% of Canadian women (of reproductive age) use modern contraceptive methods, and about 22% of Canadian men have underwent male sterilization. Yet some women still face difficulty when trying to access birth control. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada found that Canadian women have less birth-control options than women in other developed countries. Furthermore, the Canadian Contraception Consensus report found that 15% of sexually-active Canadian women aren't using any form of birth control, and 20% are using birth control inconsistently. The largest barrier is probably cost. Contraceptives aren't free under Canada's universal health care plan, and affordable birth control options are typically found through the public sexual health clinics (which can have limited drug choices, limited opening hours and long wait times). It should be stressed, however, that these clinics do provide affordable options and are an invaluable resource in Canada.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• You can buy condoms online at Top Condoms Canada, IdealCondoms.ca and Undercover Condoms, at any pharmacy and most corner stores (depanneur).
• You can get birth control pills at pharmacies or health centers.
• If you want an IUD, you can get it at many health centers and clinics. For example, at ForceMedic Women's Health Clinic, you can get the Mona Lisa IUD (insertion and device). You can get Mirena insertion at Clinique médicale Fémina.
• For contraceptive shots (Depo-Provera), you can get them at Clinique médicale Fémina.

Costs

While Canada has a universal health care system, it does not offer free contraceptives. You can get lower-cost birth control at the public sexual health clinics (for example: birth control pills ranging from free to $10/per month supply, and IUDs for $60). If you get IUDs at a private clinic, you can expect to pay around $55 (for Mona Lisa), $290-$300 (for Jaydess) or $360-380 (for Mirena).

Emergency Contraception (Morning After Pill)

Important Notes: Emergency contraception may prevent pregnancy for three days (72 hours) and sometimes five days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. Take EC as soon as possible after unprotected sex. If you don't have access to dedicated EC, oral contraceptives can be used as replacement EC, but remember the following: 1) Only some contraceptives work as EC 2) Different contraceptives require different dosages and time schedules to work as EC 3) You must only use the first 21 pills in 28-day packs and 4) They may be less effective than dedicated EC. For general information on emergency contraceptives, click here and here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Canada, the emergency contraceptive pill (the morning after pill) is available at a variety of places, including women's clinics, sexual health centres, hospitals, and pharmacies. However, the laws around its availability vary by province. In Ontario and most provinces, emergency contraceptive pills are available over-the-counter, except for Ulipristal-based pills, such as ellaOne, which requires a prescription. In Quebec, emergency contraceptive requires a prescription, and in in Saskatchewan, it is available behind the counter at pharmacies.

Generally speaking, age restrictions on emergency contraception vary by province. In many provinces, there are no age restrictions, so young people and teenagers are legally allowed to purchased emergency contraceptive pills without a prescription or parental consent. As reported by the International Consortium for Emergency Contraception, "In May 2008, the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) recommended full OTC access for the LNG regimen with no age restriction. This recommendation is being applied Under Common Law; however, pharmacists have the discretion to restrict sale of EC if a woman does not appear mature. All provinces follow Common Law with the exception of Quebec, which follows Civil Code, and Saskatchewan."

What to Get & Where to Get It

• You can obtain most emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills) without a prescription from a pharmacy, doctor, women's clinic, sexual assault centres, sexual health clinics, or hospital emergency rooms.

In Canada, if you want dedicated progestin-only EC, you can take NorLevo 0.75 mg (available over the counter) or Plan B (available over the counter). You should take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex. If you can't access dedicated EC, you can use some oral contraceptives as replacement EC -- but, remember: in 28-day packs, only the first 21 pills can be used. Some of the contraceptives you can use are Ovral (take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 2 more pills 12 hours later), Minovral (take 4 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 4 more pills 12 hours later) and Alesse (take 5 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 5 more pills 12 hours later).

Note: The longest-lasting EC is currently ellaOne. It lasts up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. It seems like ellaOne is available in Canada. However, a prescription may be required to purchase it. Check with your pharmacist or local sexual health clinic for details.

Costs

Prices vary, depending on where you bought the emergency contraception. If you go to a pharmacy, you can expect to pay around $23-$30 (as of 2013). If you go to a community health clinic, you can expect to pay around $13-$20 (as of 2013).

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs/STDs)

Important Notes - Learn about PEP and PrEP: If you think that you've been recently exposed to HIV (i.e. within 72 hours), seek out PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis). It's a month-long treatment to prevent HIV infection after exposure, and it may be available in your city. Take PEP as soon as possible. For more information, click here. If you are at risk of HIV exposure, seek out PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis). It's a daily oral pill that can prevent HIV infection before exposure. To learn more about PrEP, click here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Canada, there are no travel restrictions attached to STI or HIV status. However, if you wish to stay in Canada for over 6 months, you'll need to get an HIV test. If you test positive, you probably won't be granted a residency permit. You will still be issued a residence permit if you fall into one of the following categories: you're an HIV-positive refugee, you're an HIV-positive sponsored spouse or common law partner of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or if you're an HIV-positive sponsored and dependent child of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

As reported by HIVTravel, "Accessing health care in Canada is expensive for non-Canadian residents or visitors and the cost varies from one province to another. Canada is a federation of provinces and territories and health care is the responsibility of each province or territory. Access to services can vary a bit from one province to another. In general, visitors to Canada need private health insurance from their home countries to pay for major medical costs here." For more details on HIV treatment for foreigners in Canada, click here.

Testing Facilities

Check out this list of STI testing sites in Montreal,

• Medical Clinic L'Actuel: Provides HIV test (including rapid test), along with other STI test. There's a $20 fee. They also have PEP. Address : 1001, boul. De Maisonneuve Est, Suite 1130, Montreal, H2L 4P9. Phone : 514-524-1001.
• Medical clinic L'Alternative: Address : 2034, rue Saint-Hubert, Montreal, H2X 3Z5. Phone : 514-281-9848.
• CMU Quartier Latin: Address : 2nd floor, 1733, rue Berri, Montreal. H2L 4E9 Phone : 514-285-5500.
• CLSC service points Outskirts: Telephone : 514-527-2361
  • 1705 Visitation Street, Montreal, H2X 3C3
  • 1250 Sanguinet Street, Montreal, H2X 3E7
  • 2260 Parthenais, Montreal, H2K 3T5
• Jewish General Hospital Infectious Diseases and STIs Walk in clinic (Côte-des-Neiges): Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.. Walk-in only. Phone: 514-340-8230
• CSSS Jeanne-Mance - Street Youth Clinic: Address 1 - CLSC suburbs : 1250 Sanguinet Street, Montreal, H2X 3E7 Telephone : 514-527-9565, ext 3682. Address 2 - Ketch Café : 4707, rue St-Denis, Montreal. Phone : 514-985-0505.
• CSSS of the Mountain - CLSC Métro: Address : 1801 boul. de Maisonneuve W., Montreal, H3B 1J9 (Guy-Concordia Metro). Phone : 514-934-0354.
• Coeur-de-l'Île CSSS - CLSC Villeray: The tests are NOT anonymous here. Address : 1415 Jarry East. Montreal, H2E 1A7. Phone : 514-376-4141.
• Rezo: They provide HIV tests for gay and bisexual men who are cis and trans.

Support

• Canadian Liver Foundation: Helps people with Hep B and Hep C. "The Canadian Liver Foundation is a national non-profit organization committed to promoting liver health and providing hope to people living with liver disease."
• CATIE: "CATIE is Canada’s source for up-to-date, unbiased information about HIV and hepatitis C. We connect people living with HIV or hepatitis C, at-risk communities, healthcare providers and community organizations with the knowledge, resources and expertise to reduce transmission and improve quality of life."
• Maison du Parc: "A not-for-profit organization, the Maison du Parc welcomes men and women stricken with HIV/AIDS. It offers a palliative care program and accompaniment for the physical, psychological and social needs of our residents."

Medications & Vaccines

Laws & Social Stigmas

PrEP was approved for usage in 2016.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• There are two HPV vaccines available in Canada: Cervarix® (HPV2) and Gardasil®9 (HPV9).
• You can get the Hepatitis B vaccine at many sexual health clinics.
• If you want Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), you should contact a hospital emergency department or their doctor for treatment. Generally, no appointment is required since patients should be counseled and treated ASAP.
• If you want Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), it is available in Canada. In February 2016, Health Canada approved Truvada as prevention, and generic versions of TDF/FTC are approved for prevention. There are an estimated 900-1,100 people on PrEP in Canada, as of 2018. According to ACT Toronto, "Any doctor can prescribe PrEP. If you have a family doctor that you feel comfortable with, that is a good place to start. There is ongoing testing and medical care required with PrEP, so accessing PrEP through a doctor that you already have a connection with is ideal." CATIE has compiled extensive resources on PrEP for Canadians, which you can check out here. For updates on PrEP access in Canada, PrEPWatch is also a great resource.

Costs

If you wish to get the HPV vaccine (Gardasil) it will cost you about 200$ at any travel vaccination clinic.

Menstruation

Note: In addition to pads and tampons, you can also use menstrual cups and menstrual underwear for your period. To learn more about menstrual cups, click here. To learn more about menstrual underwear, click here.

What to Get & Where to Get It

You can easily finds pads and tampons in Canadian stores. If you want to buy a menstrual cup, you'll also find quite a few vendors. For DivaCup, check out Shoppers Drug Mart, PHARMAPLUS, Yonge Pharmacy, Nutrition House-Eaton Ctr Dund and Condom Shack. For MoonCup, you can deliver online. For Lunette, check out the Lunette North America website. For eco-friendly menstrual products, check out London Drugs, Loblaws, Save on Food, Whole Foods, Well.ca and Overwaitea.

Costs

The Diva cup is available at most large pharmacies for approximately 30$ while pads and tampons cost between 4$ and 8$ on average.

Gynecological Exams

What to Get & Where to Get It

For information on gynecologists in Canada, please visit the city pages, like the Toronto page, as recommendations will vary by city.

Note: There is a Canadian website called Pap Test Info: "Every year, almost 400,000 Canadian women receive a call that their Pap test result is abnormal. In many cases, the call is made by a nurse or medical receptionist who cannot discuss the results or implications over the phone. Often women are not given any information about what that means and are left feeling nervous or unsure about what happens next. This website has been developed to provide women with information about Pap testing and what it means to have abnormal test results. All of the information contained in this website has been reviewed by physicians."

For a list of feminist providers in Montreal, you can go to Gyneco Positive

Abortion

Important Note: There are two main types of abortions: medical (also known as the "abortion pill") and surgical (also known as "in-clinic"). For medical abortions, you take a pill to induce abortion. For surgical abortions, a procedure is performed to induce abortion. For general information about medical and surgical abortions, click here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Canada, abortion is legal and, in Quebec, it's fully permitted for up to 22 weeks of pregnancy.

Canadian abortion laws are governed by the Canada Health Act. However, it should be noted that some reports indicate that third trimester abortions are not generally available.

Historically, there were significant challenges to abortion in the past. Until 1969, abortion was not generally legal. Following the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968-69, abortion became legal in cases where physicians decided the abortion was necessary for the physical or mental well-being of the woman. However, the Criminal Law Amendment Act also imposed restrictions on abortion access, as it was not generally accessible to all women. In 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the existing abortion laws were illegal, and they were struck down. Since then, there have been no official laws on abortion in Canada, making it available to women without restrictions. Today, one-third of all hospitals in Canada perform abortions.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Clinique médicale Fémina: Provides surgical abortions. "Clinique médicale Fémina is a well known clinic offering abortion services during the first trimester of pregnancy since 1988." Only one visit needed for pregnancies under 12 weeks.
• Morgentaler Clinic Montreal: Provides surgical abortions. "Services are available by appointment only. Pregnancy terminations are performed up to 18 weeks of pregnancy. Only one visit to the clinic is required for the first trimester procedure, including counseling and ultrasound. Second trimester pregnancy terminations (between 13 and 18 weeks) require preparation and may require one or two pre-procedure visits."
• Le Centre de santé des femmes de Montréal : Provides surgical abortions. With a feminist approach, the Centre de santé des femmes de Montréal is offering abortion services in one visit, by appointment only.

Costs

• Generally, abortions in Canada are funded by Medicare (for Canadian citizens and permanent residents). If you have a valid Quebec health insurance card (RAMQ), medical and surgical abortions at free-standing clinics and hospitals are fully covered.
• If you are a student at any university in Québec (except from Bishop's University), no matter what country you are from, abortion is fully covered by Desjardins Insurance.
• If you're not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you'll need to pay between $300-$1300 . The costs will vary, depending on how long you have been pregnant, the clinic and the type of procedure.
• If you need help paying for your abortion or need any further information, call the Fédération québécoise pour le planning des naissances. Unfortunately, the website is only in French, but they should be able to find someone to answer you in English if necessary. You could also contact Action Canada or the National Abortion Federation.

Advocacy & Counseling

What to Get & Where to Get It

• The Kids Helpline: Call 1-800-668-6868. Toll-free, 24-hour, bilingual and anonymous phone counseling for teenagers and children.
• L’Association québécoise de prévention du suicide: A 24/7 distress line serving Quebec. Call 1-866-277-3553 (1-866-APPELLE).
• ATQ (Aide aux transexuels et transexuelles du Québec): Offers a listening line for transgendered individuals in Quebec. Call 514-254-9038.
• Project 10 (Projet 10): "Promotes personal, social, sexual, and mental well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, inter-sexed, and questioning youth and adults ages 14-25. Offers a listening line on Monday to Thursday from 12pm to 6pm. Call 514-989-4585."
• Distress Line 416-408-HELP (4357): Provides telephone support for people facing crisis situations and suicide prevention.

List of Additional Resources

• Sexual Health Information Line - Toll free: 1 (800) 668-2437; Local: (416) 392-2437. Hours of operation: Monday to Friday 10 am – 10:30 pm; Saturday and Sunday 11 am – 3pm
• National Council for Women of Canada: "Throughout its history, the Council has been concerned with the welfare and improvement of the conditions of life for women, the family, and the community since its founding."
• CCGLM: "The Community centre for gay and lesbians of Montreal is a non-profit organization which was established on August 17, 1988. The CCGLM acts to improve the well-being of people in our communities by promoting cooperation and seeking the support of the community and social development by individuals and organizations."
• The Sex Information and Education Council of Canada (SIECCAN): "The Sex Information and Education Council of Canada (SIECCAN) is a national registered charitable organization founded in 1964 to foster professional education and public knowledge about sexuality and sexual health. SIECCAN works with health professionals, educators, and community organizations to ensure that all Canadians have access to high quality sexual health information, education and related health and social services."
• Scarlett Teen: This website offers sex education to teenagers.
• Teen Health Source: This website offers sex education to teenagers.
• Institute for Gender, Sexuality and Feminist Studies at McGill: 3487 Peel Street, 2nd floor, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1W7, Tel.: 514-398-3911, Fax: 514-398-3986. Email: info.igsf@mcgill.ca
• Fédération du Québec pour le planning des naissances: A reproductive and sexual rights organisation based in Montreal. Tel.: 514-866-3721. Email: info@fqpn.qc.ca
• Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights: Provide information and list of resources for all provinces.