For-profit organ donation legalization to increase financial mobility and reduce public health burdens

There is an untapped market hidden inconspicuously within Ontario that can greatly impact the lives of its most marginalized communities at risk of adversity related to poverty. Unlike cultivation with other materials, this market has leaves no negative environmental impact, improves the average Ontarian’s security of life, and could bring in 54 million CAD into the hands of those who are at risk of homelessness, drug abuse, and exploitation. To be able to retrieve this untapped potential, I am proposing for immediate consideration of legalizing the profit incentive for organ donation within Toronto Ontario.

The human body is capable of greatness, creating life, and inventing never-before-seen technology. Yet the human body has been under restriction from its full potential within today’s society. Time and time again, new situations are brought upon us and we adapt, it’s the basis of evolution and how we got to where we are right now. When there’s an economic issue that has increasingly been jeopardizing Torontonians livelihoods, we must evolve.

Toronto always seems to always be facing an uphill battle between supply and demand. Where there is a housing crisis, red tape and arbitrage in our parliamentary and regulatory system pushes any solution far from the hands of those who need it. Millions of Torontonians are healthy candidates, but there is always a wait list longer than people on it can afford.  There is not an issue of a lack of supply within living organ donations, but there is little incentive to donate. 

The system I propose would resemble much of the current organ donation system, with the addition of adding monetary incentive to those donating as a private payment between the two parties. OHIP and insurances would cover the procedure as the current system does, and within the two parties, a payment of municipally regulated prices up that could be upwards of in the tens of thousands of taxable income would be paid to the doner. On top of adding taxable income to feed into our public support systems, we have reduced wait times on the list of those who need donations, but must rely on the public system to better conditions. This system does not replace the current public waitlist of individuals looking for donations, but will relieve the long list wait times by allowing those who have the means to take matters into their own hands. This hybrid of public and private makes it so everyone has the freedom to choose life in a safe and government-regulated way. No one wants or should have to die knowing you could have survived if there was just intervention.  

Adding that financial incentive adds equivalent or greater value to many Ontarian lives. In today’s economy, money feels like it’s directly attached to human survival. Young adults exiting post-secondary education have been stretching themselves thin on a survival basis trying to pay off unprecedented levels of student debt in recent years (Statistics Canada, 2020). All while managing the high cost of living in Ontario, the quality of life drops significantly with this burden. The financial post has been warning us since the beginning of September 2024 how student housing has not kept up with the student demand increasing the cost of housing. Only 10% of students who need student housing receive it. Many students choose to take on predatory payday loans and lines of credit just to survive.  

With your support, you would be able to support your citizens who are already the most vulnerable in society. CBC describes this as the “‘Gateway Debt’, that perpetuates social inequality and prevents people from achieving financial independence” (2023). When debt is paid off, young adults can set themselves up for a financially stable future. Young people can begin investing in the markets for their retirement to grow their wealth. Would you rather a college student become homeless, or let the student exercise their right to bodily autonomy for their and others guaranteed prosperity? The increase of money in the economy will drastically become apparent when our freedom to autonomy is legalized. Assuming all of the 1400 people on the live organ transplant list currently were to be given their organs for a payment of fifty thousand dollars, that equals roughly 54 million dollars into the economy and 54 million dollars used to help our most vulnerable communities. Even a fraction of that potential is great. 

Addressing the concerns that this system can lead to the exploitation of the lower class as they are most likely to be attracted to such incentives. The issue of exploitation comes into play when the seller’s incentive is overshadowed by third-party greed. When a potential seller sells through an unprotected and unregulated system, organ brokers leave the seller short-changed while the broker turns a larger profit to their clients. The Candian Health Act being a non-profit system inherently protects the safety of the seller as the power is left completely in their hands and no one but them has the incentive to sell. Every powerful Canadian health organization understands the lives on the line and wants immediate intervention to supply the demand for organs. Adding the compensation component won’t risk the safety of Canadians or the nonprofit system of the Canada Health Act. The incentive will complement the Canada Health Act when it gets over-strained when demand exceeds supply. As for safety, The government of Canada themselves says that, “Research suggests that individuals living in low income have a lower life expectancy, have higher rates of suicide and are more likely to suffer from diseases affecting the heart, chronic conditions and mental health issues” (2022). Comparatively, John Hopkins Medicine explains how “living organ donations do not change life expectancy” (2024). It seems that living in poverty caries more of a risk to health than incentivised donations.

Incentivizing organ donation is not exploitation, but freedom. It is the definition of Canadian freedom to be in charge of one density, financial freedom from predatory high-interest debt, and freedom to know that if needed, support won’t be waitlisted. To remove the freedom is to judge the people’s ability to make the right decision for themselves. It’s patronizing to not only the citizens of Ontario but also the government you forged throughout your time in office. There are no victims in defended autonomy. 

As a reasonable man yourself, in the practical sense, the choice is undeniably clear. The benefits of giving the gift of life with receiving an incentive trump any of the little potential risks to the seller. An Individual should have the choice to actively participate or not participate in this system and should not be penalized for choosing their prosperity. It is now up to you to see if you can hold up to your commitment of Ontario first.

Complexity should not drive us away from prosperity. The reform the people are looking for lies in your hands, and I encourage you to go where no one has gone before. With the resources available to you, the ability to directly and indirectly, save lives and set up your citizens for prosperity has never been closer to a reality. We can make the right decision and cement ourselves forever in Canadian politics as relentless for Torontos greatness.