Why Ethics Matter Even More in Canada’s Unregulated Surrogacy Agency Space
One of the most important—and often misunderstood—aspects of Canadian surrogacy is this:
There are no formal regulations governing surrogacy agencies or consultants.
Unlike clinics, lawyers, or escrow providers, agencies are not licensed, audited, or overseen by any governing body. Anyone can open an agency. Anyone can charge fees. Anyone can speak on behalf of hopeful parents or surrogates—without formal training, standardized practices, or accountability.
This means that in Canada, ethics are not just important - they are the only real safeguard.
What “Unregulated” Really Means
In practice, the lack of regulation creates several challenges:
1. No Financial Oversight
Agencies can choose how much to charge, how to structure fees, or what to bundle into “program costs.”
Without oversight, some agencies may:
Overcharge families in vulnerable emotional situations
Prioritize agency revenue over journey readiness
Add unnecessary layers or upsells
Mismanage or misrepresent cost expectations
When hopeful parents are emotionally invested and desperate to begin, unethical practices can go unnoticed until it’s too late.
2. No Standards for Screening or Care
Meaning:
Surrogates may not be thoroughly screened
Parents may receive unrealistic timelines
Critical steps may be bypassed for the sake of “speed”
Agencies may accept more clients than they can responsibly manage
In an unregulated landscape, pressure to grow fast can overtake the responsibility to protect the humans involved.
3. No Accountability for Misconduct
If an agency acts unethically—financially, emotionally, or operationally—there is:
No governing board to report to
No licensing body to intervene
No mandatory review of practices
No professional consequences
The only “accountability” becomes public complaint or legal action, which most parents and surrogates never want to engage in.
This is why ethics matter so profoundly.
Why Ethics Are the Foundation at Willow Roots
Because there is no regulatory body, we hold ourselves accountable—to Canadian law, to best practice, and to our own standards of integrity.
We prioritize people, not profit
We limit enrollment intentionally.
We turn away clients when capacity would compromise quality.
We never operate from pressure to “fill” programs.
We refuse to mislead parents with false timelines or promises
Ethics mean telling the truth, even when it’s inconvenient or not what someone hoped to hear.
We refuse to center financial gain over safety
Surrogates are not a commodity.
Parents are not revenue.
Building families is not a competitive sport.
We maintain transparency in all financial practices
No hidden fees.
No inflated “programs.”
No vague line items.
We uphold the purpose of Canadian surrogacy: altruism
This means respecting the law, the heart behind it, and the humans who make it possible.
Ethics Protect the People, Not the Industry
And that distinction matters.
Regulation protects industries.
Ethics protect people.
And in surrogacy—where hope, vulnerability, and trust are the currency—people deserve protection above all else.
In an Unregulated Space, Ethics Are Regulation
Willow Roots chooses to operate as if regulation exists:
Transparent structures
Trauma-informed communication
Clear boundaries
Surrogate-first safety
Parent-centered honesty
Financial clarity
Because when you’re guiding a family-building journey, your responsibility is not just operational—it’s moral.
In Canada, agencies can choose the path of:
profit over people,
speed over safety, or
growth over grounded, ethical care.
At Willow Roots, we choose differently.
We choose ethics because they are the only path that honours the emotional, financial, and human weight of surrogacy.
And we believe that when you build a system rooted in ethics, you build journeys—and families—that grow stronger, steadier, and more supported from day one. 🌿