Morgentaler clinic could be leased through crowdsourcing

A reproductive rights group has launched a crowd-sourcing campaign in hopes of raising $100,000 to lease theMorgentaler clinic in Fredericton.

The private abortion facility the only one in the Maritimes is slated to close on July 18,following a 20-year fight with the provincial government over funding.

But Reproductive Justice New Brunswick wants to help the managers keep leasing the building.

It's a "Band-Aid solution," chairperson Kathleen Pyesaid during a news conference on Friday.

"We'rein a crisis situation and unfortunately we have to step up and do the work that the province really should be doing," she said.

Securing a lease won't guarantee keeping the clinic open, but it would keep the building and its facilities in the centre's name for the time being, said Pye.

Meanwhile, the group will continuelooking for more practitioners for the clinic, she said.

Clinic manager Simone Lebovitch says they also plan to continue to lobby the provincial government to change its regulations.

As it stands, the government only pays for abortions at two hospitals, and only if a woman gets approval from two doctors who certify the procedureis medically necessary.

The Department of Health refusesto cover abortions performed at the Frederictonclinic,making it the only province in Canada with a private abortion clinic that isn't funded by medicare.

The current fee for the procedure is $700 before 14 weeks of pregnancy, and $850 between 14 and 16 weeks.

"We're working, looking for the province of New Brunswick to repeal this restrictive legislation so that women here are treated in the same respect and with the same dignity as they are across Canada," said Lebovitch.

Decisions about how the Morgentaler clinic could continue to operate will be made if the funding goal is reached by August, officials said.

If Reproductive Justice is unable to raise the full $100,000, all money raised will go towardrenewed efforts to overturn the Medical Services Payment Act.

The group is accepting donations online.

The Morgentaler clinic has provided abortion services to more than 10,000 women since it opened in June 1994.

Its pending closure was announced in April.