Services
For BC or Yukon residents, this website provides a centralized referral service for top surgeries. Information and resources for trans and gender diverse folks are provided. Dr. McKee is one of the doctors who performs gender-affirming surgery and can be contacted through Trans Care BC.
Dr. McKee is a fully licensed plastic and reconstructive surgeon practicing in Vancouver, British Columbia. He specializes in gender-affirming chest surgery at the Central Park Medical Clinic. For BC residents interested in getting started with Dr. McKee, their primary care provider will refer them and provide a completed ‘surgical readiness assessment’ to the Trans Care BC provincial waitlist. After this, the provider will select Dr. McKee as the preferred surgeon.
Dr. McKee is a fully licensed plastic and reconstructive surgeon practicing in Vancouver, British Columbia. He specializes in gender-affirming chest surgery at the Central Park Medical Clinic. For BC residents interested in getting started with Dr. McKee, their primary care provider will refer them and provide a completed ‘surgical readiness assessment’ to the Trans Care BC provincial waitlist. After this, the provider will select Dr. McKee as the preferred surgeon.
Dr. Krista Genoway is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon trained in both top and bottom gender-affirming surgery. While Dr. Genoway’s facial feminization surgery (FFS) and facial masculinization surgery is not covered by MSP, this service may benefit those with coverage from external health programs.
Big Bro’s Barbershop is a Trans owned-and-operated business that opened in 2015 after raising $9,000 through crowdfunding. Here, people can purchase gender-affirming products and receive haircuts in an inclusive, safe space.
UBC’s Student Health Service offers a range of health assessments and treatments provided by doctors, nurse practitioners, and nurses. Appointments are available to UBC registered students in British Columbia by phone, video, or in person. Gender-affirming care appointments can be made at the Orchard Commons location with trained nurse practitioner Niloofar Esbak (on Fridays only).
BC residents can register for the Medical Services Plan (MSP) and Fair PharmaCare program through this website. It is income-based and provides coverage for certain hormone therapy medications, such as testosterone and estrogen. Certain gender-affirming medications (e.g. Estradiol patches) must be requested through a Special Authority pathway.
Education
The source provides information on the surgical options available for gender-affirming care in British Columbia. The journal categorizes the surgeries based on the anatomical location and gives a concise overview of each procedure. These findings are compiled onto this table.
This source delves into the different endocrine therapies accessible in BC for individuals seeking gender affirming care. It classifies the treatments based on their effects and offers detailed insights into the impact of the medication. Additionally, the article includes a link to a table that outlines the guidelines used by surgeons in BC to determine the suitability of a particular surgery and whether it is covered by MSP.
This article discusses the importance of understanding the needs of transgender and gender-nonconforming youth, and the three domains of transition: medical, social, and legal. Additionally, it cites studies that reveal the significant associations between gender-affirming care and improved general functioning and well-being.
Assessments
A survey in 2010-2011 was conducted on trans individuals residing on Vancouver Island to assess their community needs. The study revealed that healthcare was the most significant need in the region, while social support and public education/acceptance were areas that needed improvement. Some of the statistics are provided below:
- 54% of participants listed that they had health issues which were not trans-related
- 72% have had to travel away from where they live in order to receive trans-related care
- 31% of trans folks said they weren’t sure if they had sufficient information regarding hormones
- 30% said they had a negative experience with a healthcare provider, with the most commonly cited reason being the healthcare provider did not know how to address trans concerns
- 63% reported either having considered or attempted suicide
This qualitative research study contacted trans women and two-spirit individuals to investigate their access to women-specific health and housing services. Although participants generally reported being able to access these resources, the study recorded a significant amount of discrimination against trans and two-spirit individuals for various reasons. Some of the reasons included:
- Not expressing as “feminine enough”
- Harassment from other users of a service
- Gender-identity based discrimination
Health care access among transgender and nonbinary people in Canada, 2019: a cross-sectional survey
This study assessed access to healthcare among transgender and nonbinary individuals in Canada, and to compare healthcare access across provinces or regions. The aim was to identify potential inequities in access to healthcare in Canada. Statistical results:
- 44.4% respondents reported unmet healthcare needs from past year
- 40.7% of those who were seeking gender-affirming care were on a waitlist for such care
- Health care access variable were calculated with probability scores adjusted for education and income
This community research report was compiled through collaborations with grassroot nonprofits in Vancouver to investigate health barriers for sexual and gender diverse people. The aim of the report was to identify and understand the challenges faced by sexual and gender diverse communities in accessing healthcare services in Vancouver. Findings:
- Individuals report having to compromise sexual/gender identity or racial/cultural identity to receive care, particularly in rural areas.
This study surveyed medical students from UBC and 5 other medical schools from eastern Canada, and collected information about their curricula related to gender-affirming care. The study found that 95% of the surveyed medical students felt they did not have enough knowledge and training to provide gender-affirming care. Additionally, only 24% of UBC medical students believed that the transgender-related curricula was taught proficiently at their school.
This study collected data on the patient experience of the assessments done to ensure the acceptability of surgery for transgender and gender-diverse individuals aged between 24 to 69 years old.
Other
This guide offers resources, advice, and information relating to gender-affirming care in BC. It was compiled by Em Mittertreiner based on their personal lived experiences with gender-affirming surgery, combined with their own research, and their communities’ collective knowledge. This source contains information on hormone therapy, top surgery, and is part of a larger resource they also compiled, called the BC Wellbeing Toolkit, which contains guidance from a patient’s perspective on the healthcare system in BC.
UBC Trans Coalition
The UBC Trans Coalition is a student-led advocacy group for gender-affirming care for trans, Two Spirit, non-binary, and gender expansive students at UBC. The group played a crucial role in securing a quote from private insurers to include gender-affirming care in the current student health plan, and also advocated for putting gender-affirming care on the ballot and campaigned for the referendum in classrooms, boothed for a week straight, and mobilized over 8000 students to vote in favor of including gender-affirming care.
They can be found @ubctransco on Instagram.
This is an interview with two of the founding organizers of the Catherine White Holman Wellness Centre (CWHWC). They discuss how the treatment centre was created, what types of services it currently offers, and where the founders would like to take the organization if they had more funding.
