Advocates push for gender surgery funding within Alberta amid years-long backlog in Montreal

For most transgender Albertans, genital surgery procedures are usually done at a private clinic in Montreal and paid for by the Alberta government.

But for those not willing to hop on the four-year waiting list or who might prefer a different procedure method to the one offered at the Centre Métropolitain de Chirurgie, their options are limited and expensive.

Albertans getting surgery within the province or internationally have to pay out of pocket for costs upwards of $20,000. Advocates say in-province surgery should be funded by the provincial government to increase accessibility.

Donna Battaglia, 54, was overdue for a procedure to remove her bladder and scrotum, which were damaged by cancer treatments.

During a consultation, she mentioned to her surgeon that she was desperate for bottom surgery. 

Battaglia had already transitioned and had breast surgery but was left waiting for an operating date in Montreal. She also had been given the green light by two psychologists and received funding from Alberta's Gender Reassignment Surgery Program.

Although Alberta does not fund in-province bottom surgery or have specialized clinics for the procedure, there are qualified and trained doctors in the province who can perform it. 

Battaglia's surgeon was one of them. He agreed to perform genital surgery along with her cancer correction surgery. 

"Here we have the people and the skill and the talent to do it," Battaglia said. 

The surgeon who performed Battaglia's genital surgery declined an interview.

Cathy Flood is a urogynecologist who specializes in bottom surgery recovery and most often treats patients who have had operations in Montreal.

She said having specialized clinics funded in Alberta would change the experience entirely.

"I feel like we could get a program going. We have the interest, we have the surgeons," Flood said. "But there has not been a push to get it done here from what I can see."

CBC News asked Alberta Health why the province does not have widespread genital surgery or dedicated clinics. Spokesperson Scott Johnston said genital surgery is "a specialized field and there are very few surgeons in Canada who perform this procedure."