Abhortion · Provincial Legal Snapshot Quebec

Provincial Legal Snapshot

Quebec

Abortion law, funding, and access — one-page reference

As of Jul 13, 2026 Research completed Jul 13, 2026
Confidence: high

Abortion is legal at every stage of pregnancy — Canada has had no criminal abortion law since 1988 — and access in this jurisdiction is broad.

Legal limitNone (nationwide)
Offered locally to24 weeks (policy)
Insured serviceYes
Clinic abortions fundedYes
Mifegymiso covered for allYes
TelehealthAvailable
Safe-access zonesLaw in force
Reciprocal billingExcluded
Travel assistanceNo
Institutional objectionNo
Parental involvementNot required
Minor consentStatutory age
Pending changeSee below

§ Jurisdiction overview

Quebec has the most abortion clinics of any Canadian province — 59 — and both procedural and medication abortion are fully covered by the public health plan (RAMQ) for all residents at any stage of pregnancy.

An Act to extend the powers of the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec, regulate commercial practices relating to prescription drugs and protect access to voluntary termination of pregnancy services, SQ 2016, c 28 · Association pour l'accès à l'avortement c Québec (Procureur général), 2006 QCCS 4694

Funding & coverage

Both procedural and medication abortion are 100% covered for Quebec residents with a valid health insurance card through the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ), with no co-payments or facility fees permitted.

Health Insurance Act, CQLR c A-29 · Association pour l'accès à l'avortement c Québec (Procureur général), 2006 QCCS 4694

Clinic vs. hospital funding

All abortions, whether performed in hospitals, CLSCs, or free-standing private clinics, are publicly funded by RAMQ without any facility-type exclusion.

Travel & out-of-province care

Quebec has no publicly funded travel or accommodation program specifically for abortion patients, though the Action Canada Access Line may offer logistical support, and general medical travel programs may apply in limited circumstances.

Where services actually are

Quebec has 59 abortion points of service — the most in Canada — in hospitals, CLSCs, and private clinics across every administrative region, but about one in five residents in rural or remote areas face significant travel burdens. No legal gestational limit exists, but as a matter of service policy, surgical abortion is generally available up to about 24 weeks in Quebec; later-term patients are referred out of province or to the United States.

My Abortion Options: Abortion in Quebec · Abortion Access Tracker: Quebec · Quebec Government: Access to Abortion Services

Minors

Under the Civil Code of Québec, art. 14, a minor aged 14 or older may consent alone to abortion as care required by the state of their health, without parental knowledge or authorization.

Safe-access zones

Since 2016, Quebec law has established a 50-metre security perimeter around facilities providing voluntary termination of pregnancy services, prohibiting hindering access and regulating demonstrations, with fines for violations.

Recent changes

Feb 2025Quebec Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette withdraws Section 29 of Bill 1 (Quebec Constitution Act), which would have constitutionally guaranteed abortion rights, citing a desire to avoid constitutional litigation.
undefined 2025Quebec abortion pill prescriptions increase 80% as access barriers fall, driven by telehealth expansion and relaxed prescribing restrictions.
Nov 2024Quebec announces its first-ever Government Action Plan on Access to Abortion 2024-2027, with $7.5 million in funding, including a new abortion clinic in Quebec City and improved information campaigns.
Jan 2021Act to amend the Nurses Act and other provisions (SQ 2021, c 2) comes into effect, expanding nurse practitioner scope of practice to facilitate access to health services including medication abortion.
Jun 2019Parliament repeals Criminal Code ss. 287-288 (the former abortion offences) through Bill C-75, eliminating any residual criminal-law framework for abortion.
undefined 2018Quebec Superior Court upholds the 50-metre safe-access-zone law against constitutional challenges.
Jul 2017Quebec announces universal free access to Mifegymiso; Order in Council 1249-2017 establishes the program under RAMQ.

Pending changes to watch

Government Action Plan on Access to Abortion 2024-2027

Policy · In implementation; new Quebec City clinic and information campaigns underway

Improved geographic access through a new clinic in Quebec City, better information on contraception and abortion, and measures to combat misinformation — but no legal or regulatory changes.

Bill 1 — Quebec Constitution Act

Legislation · Section 29 (abortion rights guarantee) withdrawn February 2025; bill remains before National Assembly in amended form

If re-introduced in future, a constitutional guarantee of abortion rights in Quebec would add a symbolic provincial-constitutional layer of protection, though its practical legal impact is unclear given existing federal constitutional protections.

Key authorities

Generated from the structured legal focused deep-research record for QC, Canada (research completed 2026-07-13). This snapshot condenses a much larger sourced dataset — full citations, quoted statutory text, and plain-language explanations are in the full Quebec survey. This document has not been reviewed by a lawyer and should not be used as legal advice.

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