Laurentians couple’s public plea for surrogate shines light on complex system

A Laurentians couple is opening up about their search for a surrogate as they dream of starting a family. Their search is drawing massive support.

A couple in the Laurentians is sharing a very personal dream — starting a family.

Their search for a surrogate is drawing massive support, while also shining a light on a complex system.

Francis Bergeron St-Onge and Laurie Chillas dream of starting a family but the road hasn’t been smooth.

At 16, Chillas was diagnosed with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a rare condition that means she was born without a uterus, even though she has eggs.

Chillas says she’s long feared she would be rejected for not being able to carry a child. But from the very beginning, her partner was all in.

Today, they’re engaged and choosing to embrace a different way forward.

“Just to see another person willing to do this for us, this is a completely different experience,” Bergeron St-Onge said.

Last week, they took to Facebook to search for a surrogate. The response was immediate and the post was shared more than 1,000 times and had hundreds of comments — messages from family, friends, and strangers, including dozens of women offering to carry their child.

One of them led to a meeting this week. But with hope comes complications. While surrogacy is legal in Quebec it’s also highly regulated.

“Quebec always made it a little more difficult,” said family lawyer Doreen Brown.

She said the rules can be hard to navigate. Under the law, intended parents working with a Quebec surrogate must sign an agreement that spells out expectations and intentions.

But at birth, the person who delivers is still considered the legal mother.

“She has 30 days to change her mind. What happens if she changes her mind? Whose child is it? Because, according to Quebec law, she who gives birth is the mother,” Brown said.

Parental rights only transfer later through a notary. For Bergeron St-Onge, the legal uncertainty is just one nerve-wracking part of the journey as there are also questions about costs and emotional risks for everyone involved.

“We’re lacking information about the process in general. What are the implications for us? And for the surrogate?” asked Bergeron St-Onge.

Despite the unknown, the couple says they’re moving forward together. They admit it’s scary but they won’t give up on their dream of having a family