mental illness

Canada is indefinitely delaying the expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) for people whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness.

The federal government had previously planned to extend eligibility in March 2027 after several earlier delays. However, Justice Minister Sean Fraser says the government has decided not to move forward at this time.

According to Fraser, the government wants more certainty on how mental health cases would be assessed. Specifically, he says there is no agreement on when a mental illness can be considered incurable.

“While there is not a perfect consensus on this issue, we believe this is the correct approach at this time,” Fraser said. “When I hear that there is a lack of consensus within the medical community about the irremediable nature of certain mental illnesses, that gives me real cause for concern.”

He also points to disparities in access to mental health services across the country, saying some communities still lack adequate care and support for those experiencing mental illness.

MAID was first legalized in Canada in 2016. Changes introduced through Bill C-7 in 2021 removed the requirement that a person’s natural death be reasonably foreseeable, while postponing the planned expansion to cases where mental illness is the sole underlying condition.

The expansion was initially scheduled for 2023 before being delayed several times, most recently to March 2027. The federal government says it will now maintain the current prohibition indefinitely.