In 2016, Canada legalized Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), an umbrella term for euthanasia and assisted suicide, presenting it as a compassionate option for those suffering unbearably at the end of their lives. Since its introduction, our system has significantly expanded beyond its original scope. It now includes two distinct pathways: Track 1 for those in the end-of-life context and Track 2 for those who are not dying; people in both groups must meet specified criteria.

Health Canada’s recently released Fifth Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada 2023 reveals that 15,343 individuals died by MAiD, 622 of them following Track 2. By the end of 2023, the cumulative number of MAiD deaths reached 60,000 – 4.7 per cent of all deaths nationally since the program was launched. The annual growth rate continues to rise significantly, at 15.8 per cent.