With tighter restrictions on abortion across the U.S. likely looming over the horizon, there is deep concern among many American women that they will lose access to the medical procedure. But they are receiving reassurance from across the border in Canada.

On Wednesday, Karina Gould, Canada's minister of families, children and social development, told local media that abortion would remain accessible to American women if the leak of the U.S. Supreme Court draft overturning Roe V. Wade prompts them to cross the border for it.

"If they, people, come here and need access, certainly, you know, that's a service that would be provided," Gould told a Canadian news network.

Gould’s assurance represents something of a historical role reversal. The U.S. decriminalized abortion after the now at-risk Roe v. Wade ruling came down in 1973, 15 years before Canada decriminalized it at a national level. In the nearly 50 years since Roe, Canadian women would sometimes travel south of the border to the U.S. for easier access to an abortion provider.

But in the wake of a leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion that would see Roe overturned, Canada may possibly become the new destination for American women seeking an abortion. After the draft was leaked earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reaffirmed that Canada’s stance on abortion and a woman’s right to choice remains unchanged.

"The right to choose is a woman's right and a woman's right alone. Every woman in Canada has a right to a safe and legal abortion," he wrote. "We'll never back down from protecting and promoting women's rights in Canada and around the world."

Despite the open arms extended to American women, Gould said that any trip to Canada for an abortion would not be without complications. Canada's public healthcare system would require Americans to pay out of pocket to a private provider or rely on their insurance to cover it in the country. There also remains certain pandemic restrictions in place in Canada, particularly a requirement that travelers arrive fully vaccinated.

But even if they can get into Canada, Gould warned, Americans may find other difficulties in getting an abortion. Providers are generally located in the cities and not smaller enclaves along the border, meaning travel distances will be longer and more expensive. This is a reality familiar to Canadian women who traveled to the U.S. for the procedure, something Gould said would be amplified if Roe is overturned.

"One of the concerning factors here is that there are many Canadian women who maybe don't live near a major city in Canada, but will often access these services in the United States," she said. "I'm very concerned about the leak yesterday. I'm very concerned about what this means, particularly for American women, but also for Canadian women."

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