MAiD in Canada

MAiD Cases Continue Toward a Plateau A look at the most recent 2025 MAiD statistics in BC

New data from BC suggests MAiD growth continues to slow.

Early 2025 data point to a much smaller year-over-year increase than in recent years — a pattern that aligns with a plateau we’ve been tracking. The idea of a “runaway” MAiD system is getting harder to sustain.

Efforts to improve access to medical assistance in dying (MAID) are not attempts to expand the law. Instead, they aim to return to the requirements originally laid out by the Supreme Court of Canada.

Watch our webinar on Carter v Canada to learn more: ow.ly/TCB150WokR6

Understanding MAiD Eligibility in Canada (Video) Re-recorded and refined following reader feedback

We’ve published a video explaining the main MAiD eligibility criteria in Canada.

It walks through the key criteria and clarifies terms like “grievous and irremediable” and “reasonably foreseeable”.

If you’ve ever tried to read the legislation and found it difficult to interpret, this may help.

A Six-Week Exchange With the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition - Week 5 The human cost of medical homicide. By Gordon Friesen, President of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Week 5 of our exchange with Mr Friesen is up. Instead of responding to our critiques, his final entry is a broad, off-topic argument that concludes with the claim there was insufficient space to address the issue at hand.

Avoiding the conversation does not signal confidence in one’s position.

If You Control the Language, You Control the Fear: How the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Talks About MAiD There was a revealing moment in a February 2, 2026 post on the EPC blog by Alex Schadenberg.

Sometimes people who support the right to choose MAiD are accused of “spinning language.”

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is more direct: language itself is part of the strategy.

New article on how MAiD providers get framed as villains and patients as victims.

A Six-Week Exchange With the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition - Week 4 The False Ally Fallacy: Why Friesen’s references do not support his claims. By Paul and Kim, MAiD in Canada

Week four of our exchange with the EPC is now live. In this entry, we take a look at the sources Gordon Friesen relies on to defend his position and show how they do not support his claims — and, in some cases, directly contradict them. We’ve named this pattern the False Ally Fallacy.

Research Opportunity: Share Your Experience of a Loved One’s Death A university-led study seeking bereaved participants to better understand what people experience as a “good death”

Every now and then, we receive requests to share research studies, calls for participants, or personal projects related to death, dying, and end-of-life care. Not all of them align with the purpose of this space, and we’re selective about what we choose to pass along.

This one sounded interesting.

Last Chapter - A Personal Story One of the real privileges of the work we do is that, from time to time, someone reaches out to share a deeply personal story—often about why having the option of medical assistance in dying (MAiD) ma...

From time to time, someone reaches out to share a deeply personal story about how medical assistance in dying (MAiD) mattered to them or to someone they love. These stories are never offered lightly, and they are always received with care.
Today, we have the honour of sharing one of those stories.

On Monday, January 12, 2026, the Supreme Court of British Columbia (BC) heard a constitutional challenge to end forced transfers of patients seeking access to medical assistance in dying (MAID), in publicly funded, faith-based hospitals. (1/3)

Health Privacy and Consent for Caregivers - Ontario Caregiver Ontario’s health privacy laws and rules are complex. For caregivers it can be difficult to understand why healthcare providers may not share information. The following resources provide information to support […]

For #caregivers in #Ontario , navigating health #privacy laws and rules can be complex. The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides resources and information to support caregivers in conversations as part of the #healthcare team: https://ontariocaregiver.ca/managing-care/health-consent-privacy/

Presuming Incapacity Is Neither Clinical nor Legal: The Case Against Categorical Exclusion By Kim Carlson & Paul Magennis, MAiD in Canada

This is week two of a six-week written exchange between us and Gordon Friesen of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.
Each week, we’ll alternate posts, responding directly to one another’s arguments in a structured format. Gordon will respond on Jan 26. Subscribe to be notified.

Stay Gold By Sam O'Neill

In honour of Sam O’Neill and her family, I have temporarily changed the MAiD in Canada logo. The image is a stylized version of the pin worn by O’Neill supporters in the courtroom, an honour I was able to share in this past week. I am also sharing the poem Sam wrote that inspired this pin. - Kim C

Now they know. Will they let their provincial governments know that they object to the Archbishops deciding what health care their taxpayer funded hospitals won't provide? Will they object to people being transferred across town in agony when all the facility has to do is let providers in?

A Six-Week Exchange With the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition - Part 1 by Gordon Frieden, President of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Week one of our six-week written exchange is now live.
We’ll alternate weekly posts with Gordon Friesen (EPC), responding directly to one another’s arguments.
We won’t engage in comments during the exchange, but discussion is encouraged.
maidincanada.substack.com/p/a-six-week...

A Six-Week Exchange With the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Debating MAiD when mental illness is the sole underlying medical condition

Over 6 weeks we’ll be participating in a written exchange with the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition focused on MAiD when a mental illness is the sole underlying medical condition. Each contribution will be cross-published on their blog and on our Substack page beginning Jan 12. Subscribe for updates.

Closing 2025, Looking Ahead to 2026 Gratitude, challenges, and an invitation to help shape our next year of MAiD education

CLOSING 2025, LOOKING AHEAD TO 2026

As we reach the end of 2025, we didn’t want the year to close without acknowledging the extraordinary support we’ve received.
maidincanada.substack.com/p/closing-20...

If you ever need reassurance that you’re on the right side of history, this is usually a good sign: Alex Jones and Infowars are opposed to us.

Given who Alex Jones is, and his history of making things up, we're ok with being on his naughty list.

Isolation, Loneliness, and MAiD: What the New Health Canada Report Actually Shows Check out reference #30 on page 29 of the Report. Thank you Health Canada🎉🥳

Over the next few weeks, we’re going to examine some lesser-discussed findings in the 6th Annual Report on MAiD, starting with the false media claim that people choose MAiD because of isolation or loneliness. HC confirms what we found in our earlier BC work.
maidincanada.substack.com/p/isolation-...

Once again FactcheckAFP calling something @kelsisheren.bsky.social said about MAiD to be 100% false. Her claim: "In order to have MAiD you have to say yes to organ donation". Don't try to correct her though, she's "not at all uneducated in this realm". 🤦‍♀️🤦
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....

As we near the close of our 5th year, please consider a special year-end gift to help:
- Create a safe, welcoming, personalized environment
- Provide follow-up & resources for loved ones
- Continue our research at the forefront of MAiD resources & services

Donate at https://www.maidhouse.ca/donate

Most assisted deaths in Canada come after cancer diagnosis, annual report finds Most people who chose medical assistance in dying in 2024 had a cancer diagnosis and were over the age of 70, new data from Health Canada shows.

Solid summary of 6th Annual Report on MAiD in Canada by CP www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...

Thank you Jocelyn, we really appreciate your support! Tackling misinformation about MAiD is a full time job but we are happy to be able to encourage people to be critical about what they read and seek facts.

Misinformation at Parliament: What Happened on October 28th Veterans and people with mental illness deserve better advocacy

“If there is an argument more detached from how medical capacity actually works, it’s hard to imagine what it would look like…”

We break down the misinformation that was said at a Parliamentary Press Gallery event and a Veterans Affairs Committee meeting.
maidincanada.substack.com/p/misinforma...

WTF, @theatlanticpr.bsky.social ?

Why give this anti-science, lying, grifter this kinda positive framing?

He is a disaster. Period.

False balance disaster👇

"Barbara's MAiD journey wasn't a simple one. But by the time her family and friends were able to gather around her at the MAiDHouse space in Toronto to say goodbye, they knew she felt comfort and peace with her decision. 'We're a lively family, and on the day of, we had some music & flowers. Everyone had some one-on-one time to sit beside Mum and tell her we loved her.'" —excerpt from Barbara's story.

Ensuring that people like Barbara are able to meet the end of their lives in the way that they choose has been at the heart of our work since we opened our doors 5 years ago, and continues to guide us forward into the future. Read Barbara's story at www.maidhouse.ca/maid-journey...

Fact File: No 'plan' to 'euthanize' 15 million Canadians with MAID Podcast clips recently shared on social media claim that Health Canada plans to save money by "euthanizing" 15 million Canadians.

The Canadian Press finally called out Kelsi Sheren’s claim that Canada has a plan to euthanize 15 Million Canadians.
Health Canada says it’s "false" and "disinformation" — which effectively means they believe she’s spreading lies.
www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/fac...

Everything You Need To Know About MAID (But Didn’t Know To Ask) - Chatelaine It’s been legal for almost a decade, but many Canadians are still in the dark about how it works.

Please check out this great Chatelaine article by Kelley Korbin. She shares her MAiD story and answers some of the most common questions people have about MAiD. We’re grateful she invited Kim and me to offer a bit of our expertise as well.
chatelaine.com/health/maid-...

"Research on Canada's potential savings from medically assisted death misrepresented". Agreed, though we'd use a stronger word than "misrepresented".
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....

Our Letter in The Atlantic After our response to Elaina Plott Calabro's MAiD feature titled "Canada is Killing Itself", the editors invited us to submit a letter. It was published—but not without limits.

The Atlantic published our letter in their December issue, responding to the magazine’s September feature on MAiD in Canada. Due to limited space, that published version was an anaemic review of the original critique we published on Substack. maidincanada.substack.com/p/our-letter...

Title: MAiDHouse 5 Years. Tagline: A community where everyone eligible has equal access to a place for MAiD. Beneath the title and tagline is a photo of Terry, who is seen smiling at the camera and wearing a black shirt. He has brown hair and a beard with some white in it. Beside Terry's photo is a quote: "MAiD in Canada has opened the opportunity for me to pass how I want and when I want ... I've been lucky to have this 'funeral' time before I go so I could see once again how well life has treated me. Overall, it's the people I've known & loved, played with & against, friendly neighbourhood chit chat and so much more that makes life so fulfilling." — excerpt from Terry's story.

We're looking back on stories from people who MAiDHouse has had the honour of helping in the 5 years since opening our doors at our first location. People like Terry, quoted in the image. You can read his story and the poem he shared with us at our website: www.maidhouse.ca/maid-journey...