Choice of Plan and Types of Benefits for a Surrogacy Project

During pregnancy or after the birth of a child born from a surrogacy project, the person who agreed to give birth and the parents involved in the parental project may be eligible for different types of benefits.

The number of benefit weeks is determined according to the choice of plan.

When you apply for benefits, you must choose between two options:

• The basic plan (long term)
• The special plan (short term)

The basic plan offers more benefit weeks, during which lower benefits are received.

The special plan offers less benefit weeks, during which higher benefits are received.

This choice determines the number of parental insurance benefit weeks that may be paid and the earnings replacement rate for these weeks.  

The person who agreed to give birth to the child may choose a different plan as the one chosen by the parents involved in the parental project. Both parents involved in the parental project must choose the same plan. The choice of plan is determined by the first of the two parents who files an application. This binds the other parent, even in the case of shared custody.

Once your application is received, it will no longer be possible to change plans. Except under exceptional circumstances, your plan will stay the same for the duration of the benefit period.

You can use the Benefit Calculation Simulator to evaluate which of the two plans is more advantageous for you.

Benefits to the woman or the person experiencing pregnancy or childbirth are granted to help the person recover from pregnancy or childbirth. Only a person who has experienced pregnancy, childbirth or termination of pregnancy after 19 full weeks may be entitled to these benefits. You could receive

• 18 weeks at 70% of your earnings with the basic plan (long term)
• 15 weeks at 75% of your earnings with the special plan (short term)

To be eligible for these benefits, the parents must ensure a regular presence with the child to care for them.

These benefits are granted only to the father or to the parent who did not give birth to the child. You could receive

• 5 weeks at 70% of your earnings with the basic plan (long term)
• 3 weeks at 75% of your earnings with the special plan (short term)

These benefits are added to the shareable benefits.

These benefits are shareable between the two parents, according to their agreement. The benefit weeks may be taken at the same time by both parents or in different weeks. A single parent is also eligible for these benefit weeks. You could receive

• 13 weeks at 70% of your earnings with the basic plan (long term)
• 12 weeks at 75% of your earnings with the special plan (short term)

These benefit weeks are added to the exclusive benefit weeks granted to each parent.

With these benefits, you could receive

• 32 weeks with the basic plan (long term):
  • First 7 weeks at 70 % of your earnings
  • Next 25 weeks at 55 % of your earnings
• 25 weeks at 75% of your earnings with the special plan (short term)

These benefits are added to the exclusive benefits granted to each parent. A single parent is also eligible for these benefit weeks.

The weeks of shareable parental benefits may be taken at the same time by both parents or in different weeks. Both parents must agree on how to share parental benefit weeks. In the event of disagreement, unused weeks will be shared equally between the parents.

You could be eligible for additional weeks of shareable benefits once sufficient parental benefit weeks have been paid to each parent.

For the basic plan (long term), each parent must have received at least 8 weeks of parental benefits to be eligible for 4 additional weeks to be shared.

For the special plan (short term), each parent must have received at least 6 weeks of parental benefits to be eligible for 3 additional weeks to be shared.

After each parent has been paid the required number of shareable parental benefit weeks, you will receive a notice stating your eligibility for the additional weeks.

If you gave birth to more than one child from the same pregnancy (twins, triplets, etc.), you could receive

• 5 weeks at 70% of your earnings with the basic plan (long term)
• 3 weeks at 75% of your earnings with the special plan (short term)

These weeks of benefits are added to other weeks of benefits for parents involved in the parental project.

If you are the only parent mentioned on the act of birth, you could receive

• 5 weeks at 70% of your earnings with the basic plan (long term)
• 3 weeks at 75% of your earnings with the special plan (short term)

These weeks of benefits are added to other weeks of benefits for the parent involved in the parental project.  

When the act of birth is modified by adding the name of a second parent, the Centre de service à la clientèle must be notified. The parent is eligible for single parent benefits only for the period during which they were the only parent mentioned on the act of birth.

You must contact the Centre de service à la clientèlein a timely manner if you find yourself in one of the following situations:

• The woman or person who agreed to give birth to the child is recognized on the birth certificate.
• The woman or person who agreed to give birth to the child refuses to entrust the child to the parents taking part in the parental project.
• The woman or person who agreed to give birth to the child has entrusted the child to the parents taking part in the parental project, but refuses to give consent to modify the filiation.

A member of the team will make sure you receive all the benefits to which you are entitled.