Ten years after Canada legalized Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), the program has become a significant part of the country’s healthcare system, accounting for approximately five per cent of all deaths nationwide. Since becoming legal on June 17, 2016, a total of 76,475 Canadians have received medically assisted deaths up to the end of 2024.
The practice continues to expand, with 16,499 Canadians receiving MAID in 2024 alone. Of these, 15,767 patients were individuals whose deaths were considered reasonably foreseeable. Cancer remained the leading underlying medical condition, affecting 10,035 recipients.
Medical professionals continue to play a central role in delivering the service. In 2024, Canada had 2,266 authorized MAID practitioners, the overwhelming majority being physicians, while nurse practitioners represented a smaller but growing segment of providers.
The average age of Canadians receiving MAID remains relatively high. The median age stands at 77.9 years. Those whose deaths were reasonably foreseeable had a median age of 78, while patients whose deaths were not considered reasonably foreseeable had a slightly younger median age of 75.9 years.
A major milestone occurred in 2021 when Canada introduced what is known as Track 2 MAID. This category allows individuals suffering from intolerable and irreversible medical conditions, even when death is not imminent, to request assisted dying. In 2024, 732 Canadians received MAID under this provision. Among them, neurological disorders were among the most common medical conditions.
The process includes significant safeguards. For Track 2 applicants, a minimum assessment period of 90 days is generally required before MAID can be provided.
Not every request results in an assisted death. During 2024, 1,327 applicants were found ineligible. Another 692 individuals voluntarily withdrew their requests, while 68 people changed their minds immediately before the procedure was to take place. In addition, 4,017 Canadians who had applied for MAID died from their illnesses before receiving the service.
The future of MAID remains a topic of intense public and political debate. The federal government has indicated that eligibility may eventually be extended to individuals whose sole underlying medical condition is mental illness. After several delays, the current target date for implementation is 2027. However, concerns from healthcare professionals, legal experts, disability advocates, and mental health organizations continue to fuel discussion about whether the expansion should proceed.
As Canada marks a decade since the legalization of MAID, the program remains one of the most closely watched and debated aspects of the country’s healthcare and end-of-life care system, reflecting evolving views on patient autonomy, dignity, and the right to make personal medical decisions.