Adult Hearing Health: Canada’s Growing Challenge
the lives of future generations.
Hear Our Call - Hearing Health Matters!
Investing in hearing healthcare and advanced hearing technologies like cochlear implants not only transforms lives but also generates significant cost savings for society.
The proven effectiveness of this technology underscores the need for their accessibility to all who require them. According to the WHO World Report on Hearing: "With unilateral cochlear implants, estimations based on actual costs in a high-income setting showed a return of 2.59 International dollars for every 1 dollar invested." (WHO 2022). In short, investing in hearing healthcare saves society money.
About Us
We represent Canada’s leading patient organizations[1] serving a wide range of Canadians living with hearing loss. As a coalition, we firmly believe that individuals requiring implantable hearing devices should receive public health system support, enabling them to enjoy the same educational opportunities, career prospects and quality of life as other Canadians. This partnership is essential, as cochlear implants are underutilized, and access remains limited for many Canadians. [1]
1. Support persons with severe hearing loss whose quality of life can be greatly improved with an implantable hearing device.
2. Help inform policymakers about the needs of persons with severe hearing loss and the importance of their support.
3. Build a solid evidence base.
4. Map strategies and best practices.
5. Engage other partners towards creating a collaborative model to advocate for a universally accessible and equitable system for cochlear implants in Canada.
Members of our Coalition
Our Funders and Sponsors
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Facts About Implantable Hearing Devices
Implantable hearing devices are different from hearing aids. While hearing aids can help persons with less severe hearing loss, they cannot address all types of hearing loss. Some persons with hearing loss require an implantable hearing device. There are two main kinds of implantable hearing devices – cochlear implants and bone conduction implants.
A cochlear implant is a small device that can help "make" sound if you have a certain type of hearing loss. They achieve this by mimicking the function of a healthy inner ear(or cochlea) by replacing the function of damaged or absent sensory hair cells inside the inner ear that make it possible to hear normally.
A cochlear implant system consists of a:
- A microphone worn behind the ear to pick up sound.
- Sound processor behind the ear.
- Small device implanted under the skin near the ear, with electrodes placed in the inner ear.
The microphone picks up sound and sends it to the sound processor, which changes the sound to information the cochlear implant can understand. The implant then tells the nerves in the ear to send a message to the brain. The message is understood as sound.
People generally hear in two ways: by sound traveling through the air into the ear canal and by sound transmitted through the bones in the head. Both ways gather sound from the environment and send it onto the brain where is it is interpreted.
A bone conduction implant sends sound through a patient’s bone into their inner ear and auditory nerve, bypassing the ear canal. As a result, the person’s inner ear and auditory nerve need to be functioning properly.
A bone conduction implant has two parts:
- An external sound processor worn on the head slightly behind the upper part of the ear.
- A surgically implanted fixture made of titanium that is placed in the bone behind the ear.
The sound processor converts the sound picked up by its microphone into vibrations, which it transmits through the bones of the skull to the inner ear. The inner ear then converts these vibrations into electrical signals that the brain interprets as sound.
No. Unlike hearing aids, implantable hearing devices are surgically implanted, paired with a sound processor. They do not make sounds louder but instead improve how well you hear sound. As a result, they help people with severe hearing loss who cannot hear well with hearing aids due to structural damage within their ears.
If you suspect that you, your child or another family member are experiencing hearing loss, consult your doctor or a hearing clinic that specializes in all types of hearing solutions, including hearing implants. Upon an examination and/or testing, they will be able to confirm whether there is hearing loss, and if so, whether it is best addressed with a hearing aid, an implantable hearing device or some other solution. It is also essential to understand that hearing loss may be progressive, that it is important to continue having assessments to understand individual status and needs, and that it may be necessary to change the type of hearing device you are currently using.
If you, your child or another family member are already using hearing aids, consider a cochlear implant evaluation if you experience any of the following:
· Struggling to hear on the phone.
· Have difficulty understanding others.
· Withdraw from social events.
· Need others to repeat themselves.
It is important that you take action as soon as possible, because ignoring the signs can make things worse.
British Columbia
Vancouver
St. Paul’s Hospital
See Website
Alberta
Calgary
Richmond Road
See Website
Edmonton – Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital
See Website
Saskatchewan
Saskatoon
Saskatchewan Cochlear Implant Program – Royal University Hospital
See Website
Manitoba
Winnipeg
Central Speech & Hearing Clinic
See Website
Ontario
Toronto
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
See Website
London
London Health Sciences Centre
Cochlear Implant Program | LHSC
Ottawa
Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus
Cochlear Implants
Quebec
Montreal
McGill University Health Centre - Pôle Ouest
See Website
Quebec City
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Pôle Est
See Website
New Brunswick
Bathurst
Chaleur Regional Hospital (Assessment/programming only)
See Website
Must go to Nova Scotia for surgery
Nova Scotia
Halifax
Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech Centre
See Website
Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John’s
Eastern Health – Janeway Hospital
See Website
The cost of surgery and the initial hearing device varies across provinces. In some areas, both the procedure and device may be fully covered, while in others, coverage may be partial or non-existent depending on the type of hearing implant. Our goal is to raise awareness among provincial leaders about how these inconsistencies create disparities in healthcare access and to advocate for the elimination of out-of-pocket expenses, ensuring equitable access to implantable hearing devices for all Canadians regardless of which province they live in.
Each implantable hearing device processor comes with an initial warranty. However, once the warranty expires, coverage for device upgrades varies by province, and in some cases, patients may face large out-of-pocket expenses. While all provincial governments offer some level of funding for implantable hearing devices, the amount of support differs significantly between provinces. In some, patients may be required to pay considerable amounts.
Additionally, individuals with extended health benefits through their employer may have some additional coverage available. It is important to review your benefit plan to determine if you have coverage for implantable hearing devices and upgrade costs.
For more information within your province please contact you local hearing health care provider.
WE AGREE! Most provincial governments do not provide adequate financial assistance for implantable hearing devices or processor replacements. It is disappointing how little some provincial governments fund implantable hearing devices and processor replacements, especially when compared to how much they fund patients with other medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, eye disease and many physical disabilities.
Our coalition members are already actively engaging government officials to advocate for better public support. But we need more people with hearing loss and their families to join our fight. Patient advocacy has proven to be extremely effective, and it is no coincidence that provinces with better coverage are exactly where patients and families have advocated most in recent years.
Our Events
Get Involved
Download our easy-to-use ADVOCACY TOOLKIT to learn how to advocate for better public access for implantable hearing devices and processor upgrades in your province. The toolkit includes:
- Contacts for the right government officials and tips on how to reach them.
- Advice on explaining your situation and the support you need.
- Ready-to-use educational materials to inform others about implantable hearing devices.
- Tips on keeping government officials engaged in improving public coverage.
- A contact person and number for further questions about advocacy.
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- This toolkit will help you get the support you need from your government.
Send your province’s Health Minister and your local elected representative a letter to let them know more needs to be done to support individuals and families needing implantable hearing devices!
Contact Us With Any Questions You Have
Address: 75 Albert Street, Suite 901 Ottawa Ontario K1P 5E7