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Government of Alberta

Alberta hormone therapy rules for minors take effect (Ministerial Order 31/2025)

Jan 7, 2026
Editorial illustration of the Alberta Legislature Building and a clock

Alberta’s hormone-therapy rules for minors under Ministerial Order 31/2025 took effect on 7 January 2026. This is Alberta only, not a Canada-wide ban.

Hormones (from 7 January 2026). Alberta states that regulated health professionals are prohibited from prescribing hormone therapy to minors to treat gender dysphoria or gender incongruence, with exceptions set out in the order: (1) minors who have already commenced that hormone therapy; (2) ages 16 and 17 with parental or legal-guardian, physician, and psychologist approval; and (3) a disorder of sex development (DSD), regardless of a coexisting dysphoria or incongruence diagnosis. New starts under 16 for this indication are therefore prohibited.

Surgery. Alberta’s prohibition on sex-reassignment surgeries for minors has been in force since December 2024. The hormone rules took effect later, on 7 January 2026.

These are provincial rules. Other Canadian provinces are not covered by this order. Bill 9 (Royal Assent 11 December 2025) is a separate notwithstanding shield for named statutes, including the under-16 hormone and under-18 surgery provisions of the *Health Professions Act*.

Official sources

- Explainer: alberta.ca/supporting-minors-to-make-informed-decisions
- Ministerial Order 31/2025 (open.alberta.ca): PPHS 31/2025

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