Twig Fertility's High-Tech Entry Aims to Ease BC's Fertility Crisis

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – March 30, 2026 – Twig Fertility today opened its first Vancouver clinic, introducing a technologically advanced and patient-focused approach to a province grappling with a strained fertility care system. The expansion marks the company's first foray into Western Canada and promises to address the significant wait times and capacity shortages that have left many British Columbians struggling to access essential reproductive services.

Founded in 2020, Twig Fertility was built on a mission to transform the patient experience. "The standard in fertility care has been long overdue for a transformation, and Canadians deserve world-class fertility care delivered with real compassion and transparency,” says Zach Shapiro, Co-Founder & CEO of Twig Fertility. The Vancouver opening represents the company's third clinic and a significant step in its national growth.

A System Under Pressure

The arrival of a new major clinic is a critical development for British Columbia, a province where the path to parenthood is often fraught with delays and financial hurdles. Despite 1 in 6 Canadian couples facing fertility challenges, BC residents have encountered some of the most significant barriers in the country.

Reports indicate a "waitlist crisis" across the provincial healthcare system, with an estimated 1.2 million people awaiting specialist consultations. For those seeking fertility care, this translates into agonizing delays. Patients have reported waiting up to five months for publicly funded diagnostic tests and facing waits of one to two years just for an initial assessment with a specialist. This has forced some to pay out-of-pocket for private tests or travel to other provinces for faster care.

The situation was meant to be eased by the province's publicly funded IVF program, which launched in July 2025. However, overwhelming demand quickly exhausted the annual funding at several participating clinics, creating new waitlists and uncertainty for prospective parents. With a budget of $68 million over two years, the program has been criticized for being insufficient to meet the needs of a province with Canada's lowest fertility rate and highest average age of childbearing, at 32.6 years.

This combination of specialist shortages, diagnostic bottlenecks, and a strained public program has created a high-stakes environment where time is a critical, and often dwindling, resource for patients.

A New Model Built on Empathy and Transparency

Twig Fertility aims to address these systemic issues with a model rooted in the personal experiences of its founders. The company was co-founded by Tanner Kohara after he and his wife, Erin, navigated their own difficult fertility journey. That firsthand experience shaped the clinic's core philosophy.

"We know what it means to navigate fertility care firsthand, and we built Twig because patients deserve better,” says Kohara, Co-Founder & President. “As demand grows, our commitment to transparent, compassionate, and innovative care only gets stronger.”

This commitment manifests in several key differentiators. Every patient is assigned a dedicated care team—including fertility specialists, nurses, and support staff—to provide consistent guidance and prevent the feeling of being "just a number" that many report in larger systems. Care plans are personalized, and the clinic environment itself has been thoughtfully designed to be a calming, supportive space.

Crucially, the company emphasizes transparent pricing. With a single IVF cycle costing between $10,000 and $20,000 in Canada, financial ambiguity can add immense stress to an already emotional process. By providing clear, itemized costs upfront, Twig aims to empower patients to make informed financial decisions. The new clinic is also designed as a trans-affirming and gender-neutral space, explicitly welcoming the LGBT2SQ+ community and acknowledging the diverse paths to building a family.

Technology at the Forefront of Fertility

Beyond its patient-centric philosophy, the Vancouver clinic is distinguished by its state-of-the-art, on-site IVF laboratory, which features some of the most advanced technology available in Canada. This focus on innovation is not just about having the latest equipment; it's about improving outcomes and enhancing the patient experience.

"Everything in our Vancouver clinic, from the physical space to the lab technology to the way we deliver care, is designed around the patient,” notes Dr. Rhonda Zwingerman, Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer.

Key innovations include:
* CHLOE™ AI Reports & Embryo Viewer: This artificial intelligence platform analyzes embryo development to help embryologists select the most viable embryos for transfer. This data-driven approach aims to increase success rates and reduce the time to pregnancy. Patients are also given secure access to time-lapse video of their embryos developing, creating a powerful and personal connection to the process.
* RI Witnessing System: Using RFID and barcode technology, this system electronically tracks eggs, sperm, and embryos at every step, virtually eliminating the risk of human error and sample mix-ups. It provides a critical layer of security and peace of mind for patients.
* LifeAire™ Air Purification: The air quality in an IVF lab is critical, as airborne contaminants can harm developing embryos. The clinic's hospital-grade air filtration system creates an ultra-pure environment, which has been proven to support optimal embryo development and improve clinical outcomes.

Together, these technologies aim to maximize the chances of success while providing an unprecedented level of transparency and security.

Reshaping Vancouver's Fertility Landscape

As the first new fertility clinic to open in British Columbia in over a decade, Twig's arrival is set to significantly impact the local market. With only four IVF centers previously serving the entire province, the new facility immediately addresses the critical need for increased capacity.

By offering an alternative for both publicly and privately funded patients, the clinic provides much-needed choice in a market dominated by a few established players. The company's advanced technology and patient-centric model are expected to set a new benchmark for care in the region, potentially prompting existing clinics to innovate their own services and patient experiences.

The expansion brings comprehensive services under one roof, including IVF, intrauterine insemination (IUI), fertility preservation, genetic counselling, and an in-house pharmacy, streamlining the often-fragmented patient journey. As it opens its doors, Twig Fertility is not just adding another option for care; it is challenging the status quo and introducing a new vision for what the fertility journey can and should be for thousands of British Columbians.