Abortion has been a legal medical procedure in Canada for more than 25 years, but in spite of that, access varies widely across the country. Urban residents are far likelier to have easy access to the procedure, while rural people may face extra costs and time requirements like travel and figuring out where to go.
In this edition of VICE Canada Reports, Sarah Ratchford investigates abortion access in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, two provinces with restricted access to abortions and conservative political climates that make access a difficult issue even to discuss. She attends a pro-life rally crashed by pro-choice activists, goes undercover into a pregnancy crisis center, and talks to an activist helping people access under-the-counter abortions in Prince Edward Island (PEI).
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New Brunswick has few options for people in need of abortions, especially for the rural majority of its population. PEI, though, offers no official abortions on the island; a recent change to increase access saw the provincial government deciding to pay for abortions in New Brunswick.
You can see Sarah and producer Patrick McGuire talk about the production in our new series Field Notes, and read Sarah’s long-form piece ‘Why Rural Maritimers Are Practicing DIY Abortions.’
