CALGARY -- Alberta’s adoptive parents are now left with one less private agency to pursue parenthood.

In a statement posted to its website, Adoption By Choice announced the bad news.

"The need for services to birth parents who are making an adoption plan has declined," it says, adding the agency will close operations by July 30.

Those who went to the agency for help say the news hit them hard.

"We’ve always wanted to have kids and we never thought that it would be this hard," said Linda Hoang.

The Spruce Grove resident and blogger has been open about her six-year journey to start a family, which included unexplained infertility, treatments and most recently adoption.

As a client of Adoption By Choice, she opened an e-mail about the agency's closure on the same day she and her husband were to advance to the interview stage of the process.

"You don’t want to give up but when it's just one thing after another it's how much more?" she said. “It’s hard to imagine that we will ever be parents."

She shares her story so that other people who may have similar experiences don’t feel alone.

Nathan Chan, a blogger and managing director of Proud Fertility offers support for non-traditional families, and was himself a client of Adoption By Choice.

"The staff, everybody is amazing there but the thing is now they are closing, the process is not as transparent as it could be," he said.

He eventually came to be the parent of Nanette via surrogacy.

"I really want to bring awareness to that families can be created in so many different ways."

In a statement to CTV News, Children’s Services Minister Rebecca Schulz shared the pain of couples affected by the closure.

"I know this is heartbreaking for prospective adoptive families. We know there are many concerns including fees paid, paperwork already completed and position on the waitlist."

Schulz also said she will be reaching out to the remaining agencies to ensure families’ files transfer smoothly.

"We are also conducting an extensive review of all adoption-related legislation and regulations in Alberta to ensure government processes aren’t a barrier to bringing families together."

There are three other private agencies that fall under Alberta’s ministry of children’s services.

CTV News reached out to Adoption By Choice and did not hear back.