Examining the Monetary Value of Canada’s Gender-Transition Industry
Gender-transition surgeries can be expensive, costing tens of thousands of dollars depending on the procedure. Puberty blockers alone can cost around $4,800 annually, while feminizing hormone treatments can add up to more than $3,000 annually per person.
The global gender-reassignment surgery market was valued at approximately US$701 million (C$970 million) in 2023, according to Polaris Market Research. Grand View Research estimates the market to have been worth US$2.1 billion in 2022 and forecasts it to reach US$5 billion by 2030.
According to Polaris, the increasing awareness and acceptance of gender-affirming health-care services among younger generations are expected to drive product demand. They project a compound annual growth rate of 12 percent in the market until 2032.
Alan Cassels, a drug policy researcher and author, has studied the pharmaceutical industry’s relationship with healthcare. He expressed concerns about the explosive growth of the gender-transition industry, highlighting how pharmaceutical companies may push unnecessary treatments for profit.
Researchers in the Netherlands recently published findings showing that most youth with gender dysphoria outgrow it, raising questions about the necessity of such treatments.
A survey conducted over several years found that the number of youth wishing to change genders significantly decreased as they grew older.
