The founders of a campaign that aims to fight for free prescription contraception and reproductive justice has been awarded with King Charles III Coronation medals for their advocacy work around B.C.
In 2017, lawyer Devon Black and Saanich council member Teale Phelps Bondaroff founded the AccessBC Campaign, which grew from a kitchen table conversation between friends into a campaign comprising over 80 volunteers from across the province.
In April 2023, the team's work paid off when B.C. became the first province to make prescription contraception free. The policy covers contraceptives, including pills, injections, implants, IUDs, and emergency contraception.
“In British Columbia we've seen how impactful free contraception has been, with more than 250,000 people able to access this basic health care since the policy was implemented,” said Black in a news release. “On behalf of everyone who helped make our campaign successful, we're grateful for this recognition of AccessBC's work. We look forward to continuing our advocacy to improve access to sexual and reproductive health care in B.C. and across Canada.”
According to AccessBC, by June 2024, of the 80,200 people in B.C. using long-acting reversible contraceptives, like IUDs, 11,400 of these people would not have been had the government not enacted free prescription contraception. They also found that the number of people using any form of prescription contraception increased by 10 per cent, and the number of people paying out of pocket for prescription contraception shrunk from 37 per cent to 13 per cent in June 2024.
Jennifer Gibson, director of education and advancement at Island Sexual Health, lauded AccessBC's accomplishments, saying their work around reproductive justice and accessible contraception is nothing short of "remarkable."
"Sexual and reproductive justice isn't just about preventing pregnancy, and it's not just an issue for people with a uterus and people who can become pregnant, but it really impacts all areas of our lives," she said. "So many people use contraception for other medical reasons, right? Whether we're talking about polycystic ovary syndrome, or endometriosis, or gender-affirming care, it really is about validating a person's right to be as well."
The AccessBC team has also been working to build a national movement for free prescription contraception with active campaigns in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Two more provinces, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island, have now committed to this policy.
“At a time when we see reproductive rights being eroded around the world, I am proud that B.C. continues to be a beacon of hope for reproductive justice,” noted Phelps Bondaroff in the release. “There is still more work to be done, and we will continue to fight to remove barriers and expand reproductive freedom here in B.C. and across the country.”
