By Mark Gollom, CBC News
Abortion back in spotlight following passage of laws restricting the procedure in the U.S.
While abortion remains legal in Canada, some abortion rights advocates say women continue to face hurdles in accessing the procedure.
Funding, distance to medical facilities and a patchwork of provincial laws all mean an abortion is not as easy to obtain in Canada as some may think.
"People often conflate the two, thinking that because it's decriminalized it's very easy to access in our country — and it's not the case," said Frédérique Chabot, director of health promotion at Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights.
"There's been very little progress done to make sure that abortion is actually, in fact, accessible to everyone in Canada equally."
The controversial issue has gained renewed focus following the passage of abortion bans in the U.S.
Several states have in the last year passed so-called heartbeat bills, which ban abortion as soon as a heartbeat can be detected — which could be as early as six weeks into pregnancy. Just this week Alabama made it illegal for doctors to perform abortions.