Bill C-607: An act to amend the Assisted Human Reproduction Act (surrogacy)

On June 2, 2014, Bill C-607 was introduced by Dean Del Mastro, a Member of Parliament from Peterborough, Ontario. This private member’s bill, if passed, would repeal sections 6(1), 6(2) and 6(3) of the Assisted Human Reproduction Act.

For those unfamiliar with the Assisted Human Reproduction Act, these subsections deal with payment for surrogacy, acting as an intermediary and payment for intermediaries.

It is currently illegal to pay a surrogate mother or provide any other form of consideration for being a surrogate. It is also illegal for a person to accept payment or any other form of consideration for arranging the services of a surrogate mother, or to pay consideration to a person for arranging the services of a surrogate mother.

Repealing these subsections would make it legal to pay surrogates in Canada and to accept payment for arranging the services of surrogates.

Dean Del Mastro characterized this as a “pro-family bill” that would help people create families and avoid the challenges that arise when many couples inevitably travel outside Canada to pursue commercial surrogacy.

The bill is currently awaiting second reading.