Alberta surrogacy agency suddenly closes, crushing couples' dreams of parenthood
The company is known as JA Surrogacy on social media and to the dozens of 'intending parents' who gave it their money.
Among them were Martyn and Kim Appel, who, after they 'went down probably every avenue' to become parents, decided surrogacy was their best option.
The baby would be biologically theirs and a surrogate would carry it to term.
'We have … multiple clinics trying to find some answers, many IVF attempts, even looking into adoption, but it was never a guarantee, so surrogacy became the one thing we decided to do to have a baby of our own,' said Kim.
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They paid the company $20,000. last October to help arrange the surrogacy.
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Kim and Martyn Appel tell Global News they paid JA Surrogacy $20,000 last October to help them have a child through a surrogate parent. Global News
JA Surrogacy is owned by a man identified to Global News by some of his clients as Phil Allen.
'We had a good feeling with them. The person that we met with was very, like, sincere and empathetic to our story. It's been a long time, so she was very much wanting to help. She had a very good and quick match for us which got us to want to sign with them,' said Kim.
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The company paid all the fees up front, but the arrangement eventually fell through because of some issues with the surrogate parent, and the couple was back to square one with the company trying to help find them a new surrogate.
'Our money, as far as I know, is only in JA's account and not in a trust account because they consider themselves consultation fees. In Canada, you cannot be paid as an agency to match people, so they do the background work to try create different scenarios to get you to match with somebody and to support the process for the surrogate along the way,' added Kim.
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After checking in with the agency recently, Kim said she wasn't getting any answers — so she contacted a couple of staff members she knew and was shocked when she was told the company had ceased operations.
'I took to social media and I went into the community and was like, what is going on — has anyone heard anything? I found out through social media that they ceased operations and it was the decision of the owner only and that the staff were terminated on the spot and essentially no JA agency existed anymore.'
They're still waiting for any direct communication from Phil Allen, the man behind the company.
However, another European client shared a letter, from the owner's email, that apologizes for the abrupt closure of what it said was a numbered company.
'It is with deep regret that we inform you that 2107677 Alberta Ltd, o/a JA Surrogacy Consulting will be ceasing operations effective immediately. This decision comes after a thorough review of the company's 2025 fiscal year-end financials, which revealed the business is no longer financially viable,' the email reads in part.
'The company is currently over $150,000 in debt and has no remaining funds to keep operating.'
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A recent email that was sent to a couple in Europe that had hired JA Surrogacy to help them find a surrogate parent, said the company had ceased operations for financial reasons. Provided to Global News
The email recommends that clients contact their legal counsel and/or fertility clinics to discuss their next steps.
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'There is not only us in this situation, there's multiple clients and intended parents that hoped and dreamed that this would be something one day that they could have happen,' said Kim, struggling with her emotions. 'And the actions of one person have potentially ruined that for a lot of us.'
Global News tried to contact JA Surrogacy by telephone, but got a message saying the agency's number has been disconnected.
We tried to contact the owner through the company's email address, but got no response.
We even knocked on an Okotoks home listed as the company's address, but the person who answered the door said Allen doesn't live there.
'At this point, we just want out money back — we're even willing to negotiate a fair settlement for what we have paid and signed in our contract,' said Kim.
'But it's also an emotional impact as well that I think is going to take a lot more time. With people wanting a family, the older we get, the less the dream becomes reality.'
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