In Canada, 15,343 people received medically assisted death (MAID) in 2023.This is a 15.8% increase from the previous year and has slowed to half the average growth rate of 31% over the past four years. Health Canada emphasized that it is not clear whether this slowdown in growth means that demand is stabilizing, and that long-term data observation is necessary.
According to a report released by Health Canada, 19,660 people applied for euthanasia in 2023, but about 2,906 of them died naturally before receiving approval, 915 were denied approval because they did not meet the conditions, and 496 withdrew their applications.
About 96% of those who received euthanasia were already waiting for natural death, and the most common disease was cancer (64%). The average age of those who applied for euthanasia was 78 years old. This report is the first to release data on the race of those who chose euthanasia. As a result, 96% of the subjects were white, and East Asians accounted for the second highest proportion at 1.8%. By region, Quebec recorded the highest number of cases with 5,601, followed by Ontario with 4,644, and British Columbia with 2,759.
Canada’s euthanasia system currently only applies to those with physical illnesses and will not be available for those with mental illnesses until at least 2027. However, the federal health ministry is looking into the possibility of expanding the advance request system, which allows people with conditions such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease to request euthanasia before they lose cognitive ability.
In October 2023, Quebec announced that it would allow people with conditions such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease to request euthanasia before they lose cognitive ability. However, in the same month, a court in British Columbia issued an emergency injunction the day before a 53-year-old woman who had applied for euthanasia solely for mental health reasons received approval from another doctor without the approval of her attending physician.
Canada’s euthanasia system remains evolving and challenging, and this report will serve as an important resource for future policy discussions.