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5mo ago

Canada Reports Record High in Medically Assisted Deaths, Growth Slows

Over 15,000 Canadians accessed euthanasia in 2023, accounting for nearly 5% of deaths, with cancer as the leading condition.

A medical bed is photographed in the trauma bay during simulation training at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto on Tuesday, August 13, 2019. The number of people who received medical assistance in dying in Canada has reached more than 15,000 in 2023, but federal statistics show the growth of such cases have slowed significantly. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin
A photo of the Canadian flag flying in front of Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada.

Overview

  • Canada's fifth annual report on medical assistance in dying (MAID) revealed 15,343 cases in 2023, a 15.8% increase from the previous year, though growth has slowed compared to prior years.
  • MAID accounted for 4.7% of all deaths in Canada last year, with cancer cited as the most common underlying condition among recipients, whose median age was 78.
  • The vast majority (96%) of recipients had a foreseeable natural death, while 4% were approved due to chronic illnesses without imminent death.
  • The report included racial and ethnic data for the first time, showing 96% of recipients identified as white, despite making up 70% of the population, raising questions about potential disparities.
  • Canada is considering expanding MAID access to include mental illnesses by 2027 and advance requests for conditions like dementia, though concerns about safeguards and controversial cases persist.