Canada suspends plans to expand assisted dying to people with mental illness
The federal government has put its 2027 plan to extend medically assisted dying (MAID) to patients whose only medical condition is mental illness on hold indefinitely, citing a “lack of consensus” on eligibility.
Justice Minister Sean Fraser announced the pause on Wednesday, adding that the decision was “the correct approach at this particular time” while a Supreme Court review remains possible.
A parliamentary panel earlier this year recommended that MAID not be expanded to mental illness only cases, and the federal‑court challenge issued in 2023 has yet to be resolved.
Advocacy groups such as Dying with Dignity have called the pause “profoundly disappointing,” arguing that people with severe, persistent mental illness experience the same amount of suffering as those with physical illnesses. CEO Helen Long said a small number of patients would be eligible under the proposed criteria, but their need for a “safe death” cannot be ignored.
The government also announced a new bill slated for the next few weeks that would permanently suspend the mental‑illness expansion but would allow patients with an incurable physical condition to consent to MAID before health deterioration prevents them from doing so. The bill would leave the final decision to individual provinces.
Claire Brosseau, a woman with treatment‑resistant bipolar 1 disorder who is part of the federal case challenging Canada’s current MAID framework, told the BBC that assisted dying would give her “a safe death.” Her lawyer, Michael Fenrick, warned that the “legal battle will be long and painful.”
A parliamentary report highlighted the differing views on mental‑illness eligibility and called for increased access to mental‑health services. However, some members released a dissenting report accusing the committee's process of bias.
Public opinion is split: while most Canadians support MAID in principle, support falls sharply when the patient’s sole condition is mental illness. Read the polling data here.
For those who need help, Canada’s Suicide Crisis Helpline is available at 988. You can also reach out to the BBC’s Action Line at the Action Line for support.
Watch: One mentally ill man's fight for assisted dying in Canada
