Full Breakdown
Canada Suspends Expansion of Assisted Dying to Mental-Illness-Only Cases
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
Medically assisted dying (MAiD) became legal in Canada in 2016 for people with terminal illnesses. In 2021 the law was broadened to include individuals with incurable conditions whose death was not imminent. The government had planned a further expansion in 2023 to allow people whose sole condition is a mental illness to access MAiD, but the rollout was delayed twice to allow additional study.
Policy Suspension
Justice Minister Sean Fraser announced that the federal government will indefinitely suspend the planned expansion. A new piece of legislation will be introduced in the coming weeks that retains MAiD for patients with a progressing incurable illness and leaves the final decision on implementation to the provinces. Advanced requests remain illegal under federal law, though Quebec permits them for serious incurable illnesses. The suspension means that, contrary to earlier expectations, Canadians whose only condition is a mental illness will not be able to access MAiD by March 2027.
Official Statements & Responses
He noted that a federal court case challenging the earlier decision is still pending and that the Supreme Court could weigh in on the matter in the future. The minister framed the move as a precaution while the country seeks broader agreement on eligibility criteria.
Verbatim Quotes
- “These are not easy decisions but we believe they will be the correct ones,” — Sean Fraser
- “We anticipate that a very small number of individuals with severe and persistent mental illness would be eligible for Maid under this criterion, but their suffering is no less real than those who live with physical illnesses,” — Helen Long, the group's CEO