The Alberta government under Premier Danielle Smith’s government has banned gender-affirming health care for youth in the province. This legislation bans access to puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy for youth aged 15 and younger for the treatment of gender dysphoria, with few exceptions.

In 2024, two organizations, Skipping Stone and Egale Canada, challenged the legislation in court and secured a temporary injunction on the grounds that the ban would inflict irreparable harm.

Instead of appealing this decision, in December 2025, the Alberta government invoked the notwithstanding clause to guard Bill 26, along with two other anti-2SLGBTQIA bills (Bills 27 and 29), from court oversight.

As a result, these laws cannot be challenged in court as unconstitutional under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms for five years.

Smith and her government claim that their ban on gender-affirming care is “following the science,” saying it reflects findings from the United Kingdom suggesting there is insufficient clinical evidence about both the benefits and risks of gender-affirming care for youth.

In a media interview, Smith stated: “If we want to take a science-based approach, we’ve got to use the best information available.”

But is Alberta actually using the best available evidence?

How U.K. research is being used

Much of Alberta’s justification for its restrictions draws on the Cass Review — an independent but controversial review of gender identity services for children and youth in the U.K. published in 2024.

The final report called to limit routine........

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