Getting Approved for SRS in Ontario

[cassie09]

Does anyone know what the procedure is to getting approved for SRS in Ontario through CAMH. I heard they must know you for at least 2 years before they approve you.

[mmelny]

Hi Cassie,

The first step is to contact them!  Set an appointment to be 'evaluated', and that seems to be their specialty.        ... I'm sure someone less jaded (then me!) from Ontario can post back more detail on CamH's 'initiation' rituals.

CamH isn't my health centre, and I chose to do SRS out of province, well, out of continent.  But presently, CamH is your only avenue to OHIP funded SRS in Ontario.  There is 'talk' about other health centre's being alllowed to do the approval process for the OHIP-funded SRS in Ontario, but nothing has materialized yet.

Best wishes/luck,
Melan

[lpfix2009]

Hi Cassie,

The first step is to contact them!  Set an appointment to be 'evaluated', and that seems to be their specialty.        ... I'm sure someone less jaded (then me!) from Ontario can post back more detail on CamH's 'initiation' rituals.

CamH isn't my health centre, and I chose to do SRS out of province, well, out of continent.  But presently, CamH is your only avenue to OHIP funded SRS in Ontario.  There is 'talk' about other health centre's being alllowed to do the approval process for the OHIP-funded SRS in Ontario, but nothing has materialized yet.

Best wishes/luck,
Melan

Simple

First appt Dr Dickie
Second (Current phychiatrist i dont remember) its been a while
then third = Maxine

you will be seeing maxine every 6 months and assessed every time you see her.

#1 you should do ahead of time change UR NAME, $137 out of the registrar office (I sent my papers got them back like 1 month later with a brand new name)

#2 Get your hormonal doctor (If you have one if not youll have to wait for this) To write a letter that your drivers license ID should be changed to F if your currently M vice versa.

If your not yet Full Time... DO IT what the heck are you waiting for?

I come to learn that RULE #1 Is VERY IMPORTANT. It wouldnt matter if your 20 years on HRT and 20 years full time you need RULE #1 done a.s.a.p!

if ur on or not on hormones then...

Do a name change, go for therapy, couple of months later possible approval of HRT, then 1yr after = SRS approval appointment.

If you want to start hormones right away (Under doctor care) go see Dr. John Goodhew which is soo freaking hot btw! in Toronto on DanForth Ave

He should be able to take you in as a new patient

Hope this answers ur questions

[AweSAM!]

#2 Get your hormonal doctor (If you have one if not youll have to wait for this) To write a letter that your drivers license ID should be changed to F if your currently M vice versa.

Can the gender marker actually be changed in this manner, even without SRS? i.e. When I begin getting HRT/when I am on it, will I be able to change the gender marker on my Ontario Driver's Licence, etc.?

[Wendy1974]

[quote author=[I don't yet know my name] link=topic=68677.msg468287#msg468287 date=1260430236]
Can the gender marker actually be changed in this manner, even without SRS? i.e. When I begin getting HRT/when I am on it, will I be able to change the gender marker on my Ontario Driver's Licence, etc.?
[/quote]

Yes it really is that easy. 

[mmelny]

[quote author=[I don't yet know my name] link=topic=68677.msg468287#msg468287 date=1260430236]
When I begin getting HRT/when I am on it, will I be able to change the gender marker on my Ontario Driver's Licence, etc.?
[/quote]

I noticed the 'etc' on the end of that sentence.   Here are my fairly recent results (July-August '09)in Ontario with name change and dr letters (but SRS not complete yet):

Drivers License:   Took Ontario name change documentation in, they accepted that for name change, and I asked for the gender designation change to "F" and they did so without any proof (like doc's letter).

OHIP:  They changed my name, and despite my rather feminine appearance, and name, would not change my gender designation to "F" without a surgeon's letter stating that my penis had been shaped into some sort of a vagina.  (in so many words.. I pretty much made the clerk state this out loud... i was a bit perturbed at the time  ).

SIN:   They changed my name, and the clerk changed my gender, but I eventually received a letter back from Service Canada stating that they couldn't change my gender until the gender was updated on my Canadian Landing papers (ie Work Permit).   I'll be changing that upon my re-entry to Canada after SRS, so not too worried about it.  I'm guessing that Canadian Citizens would need their birth cert updated to change gender on their SIN account.  That's how it works in the states with social security (and what I'm doing tomorrow, updating my US birth cert, and US soc sec card!!! yay!!!)

US Passport:  (note:  I'm a US citizen, so Canadian rules may differ).  I sent in my documentation of name change, as well as a letter from my SRS surgeon stating the date and details of my SRS surgery, and they issued a temporary 1 year passport with a nice big fat "F" on it.   I guess i'm only temporarily female until I have my phallus remolded, eh?


Good luck have fun... it's really fun knowing that you have to visit some offices twice.. once for name change, and the 2nd time for gender change down the road.   Being somewhat of a dual citizen, it has been double the fun and pleasure for me! lol... bureaucracy, it can be maddening at times.  I think before I was done, I had hit the driver's license bureau 3 times (they had made a mistake in spelling my name the first time), and don't forget to update car/plate registration / loans / insurance etc if you have a car.

Best Wishes,
Melan

[lpfix2009]

Melan I had the same results till I got Breast Augmentation, it counted as a transsexual surgery according to the act which was a loop hole for me to do a F sweep across all Identifications.

2010 is my SRS year from Ontario which im happy about. It's about time.

[jaycee]

Simple

First appt Dr Dickie
Second (Current phychiatrist i dont remember) its been a while
then third = Maxine

you will be seeing maxine every 6 months and assessed every time you see her.

#1 you should do ahead of time change UR NAME, $137 out of the registrar office (I sent my papers got them back like 1 month later with a brand new name)

#2 Get your hormonal doctor (If you have one if not youll have to wait for this) To write a letter that your drivers license ID should be changed to F if your currently M vice versa.

If your not yet Full Time... DO IT what the heck are you waiting for?

I come to learn that RULE #1 Is VERY IMPORTANT. It wouldnt matter if your 20 years on HRT and 20 years full time you need RULE #1 done a.s.a.p!

if ur on or not on hormones then...

Do a name change, go for therapy, couple of months later possible approval of HRT, then 1yr after = SRS approval appointment.

If you want to start hormones right away (Under doctor care) go see Dr. John Goodhew which is soo freaking hot btw! in Toronto on DanForth Ave

He should be able to take you in as a new patient

Hope this answers ur questions

im just wondering for the statement i copied and pasted below...

" #1 you should do ahead of time change UR NAME, $137 out of the registrar office (I sent my papers got them back like 1 month later with a brand new name)

#2 Get your hormonal doctor (If you have one if not youll have to wait for this) To write a letter that your drivers license ID should be changed to F if your currently M vice versa.

If your not yet Full Time... DO IT what the heck are you waiting for?

I come to learn that RULE #1 Is VERY IMPORTANT. It wouldnt matter if your 20 years on HRT and 20 years full time you need RULE #1 done a.s.a.p! "

what if you don't want to change your name? just because my name is Jordan, which is a male and female name. i would like to keep my name, would i be allowed to skip step 1 then? 

[eve1974]

Sorry to bump an old topic. I am MTF. I am going to be chnaging my name and designation on all papers and cards. i wear a wig as my hair is not very feminine yet. Would Service Canada have an issue if i stood for my photos wearing my wig? Or can i just not say anything? It looks very natural.

[TG CLare]

Hello Eve1974;

When I changed names etc on my documentation in Ontario, I had my pictures taken with my wig on. No problems.

I had changed my name and all I needed was a letter from my doctor that I identified as female as the gender was no longer appropriate.

Armed with the letter, Change of Name Certificate, I got all of my provincial documents changed even the much desired F on my health card! Initially they were reluctant to do so but I said that the requirement fro SRS had been overturned as against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as discriminatory. It had, but that was in reference to the birth certificate part. In any event, it worked!

If you are looking to have SRS through CAMH, you need the intake application from CAMH (available online) and have your doctor complete the appropriate sections. Send it in and be prepared to wait forever! I sent mine in back in March 2014 and apart from a letter saying they received the application, I haven't heard a word. I hear it is now something like 2 years just to be granted an interview.

It got to the point I went to Dr. C. McGinn in Pennsylvania and paid for it myself.

Good luck with things.

Love,
Clare