Manitoba government says free prescription birth control will start in October

Manitobans will have access to free prescription birth control starting Oct. 1.

The NDP government says that’s the date it will fulfil a promise it made in last year’s election campaign.

The plan will cover methods including birth control pills and intrauterine devices and cost an estimated $11 million a year.

But it will not cover the so-called morning-after pill, a non-prescription drug that is covered in British Columbia.

The federal government has also promised to cover prescription birth control under a national pharmacare program.

Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara says the province decided to move ahead on its own while working out a deal with Ottawa.

“We’re going to work with them to find the best approach moving forward, based on what happens with that (federal) legislation, but we’re going ahead with this plan because we know it’s what in the best interest of women, girls and gender-diverse folks across Manitoba,” Asagwara said Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2024