Protecting Access to Reproductive Health Care Act

Protecting Access to Reproductive Health Care Act
Nova Scotia House of Assembly
Long title An Act to Protect Access to Reproductive Health Care
Citation	S.N.S. 2020, c. 15
Assented to	March 10, 2020
Legislative history
Bill citation	Bill 242
Introduced by	Claudia Chender MLA
First reading	March 2, 2020
Second reading	March 4, 2020
Third reading	March 10, 2020
Status: Current legislation

The Protecting Access to Reproductive Health Care Act is an act of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly relating to the legal protection of access to abortion.

Legislative passage

The legislation was passed as a private member's bill. ^[1]

Provisions

The legislation bans protests within 50 metres of an abortion facility. ^[2]

Under the legislation, it is illegal to take or distribute photographs of patients and abortion providers. ^[3]

Reception

The Campaign Life Coalition described the legislation as "unnecessary" and "ideologically offensive to the pro-choice people". ^[1]

Further developments

A similar law was passed in 2021 by the provincial legislature relating to restrictions on protests related to the COVID-19 pandemic around hospitals, mental-health facilities, home-care services, long-term care services, clinics, doctors’ offices and pharmacies. ^[4]

Due to a lack of "legislative awareness", a protest was allowed to go ahead in April 2022 in New Glasgow. ^[5]

References

1. Laroche, Jean (March 6, 2020). "Abortion 'bubble zone' bill moves forward despite objections". CBC News. Archived from the original on November 4, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
2. Grant, Taryn (March 5, 2020). "MLAs share emotional stories as Nova Scotia considers abortion bubble zones". CBC News. Archived from the original on March 6, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
3. Grant, Taryn (March 3, 2020). "Nova Scotia considers 'bubble zone' law to restrict anti-abortion protests". CBC News. Archived from the original on March 7, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
4. Lau, Rebecca (October 14, 2021). "N.S. introduces legislation creating 'bubble zone' outside hospitals from COVID protesters". Global News. Archived from the original on October 14, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
5. Chandler, Feleshia (April 14, 2022). "New Glasgow police lacked 'awareness' of bubble-zone law at anti-abortion protest". CBC News. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2025.