Medical assistance in dying has been legal for 10 years in Canada. Here are some other significant numbers
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TORONTO – Medical assistance in dying (MAID) was legalized in Canada on June 17, 2016. Here’s a look at some notable numbers since that time. These numbers are current as of Dec. 31, 2024, which is the most recent data available from Health Canada.
76,475 — The number of people who received medical assistance in dying between legalization in 2016 and Dec. 31, 2024.
2,266 — The number of MAID practitioners in 2024. Of those, 93.2 per cent are medical doctors and 6.8 per cent are nurse practitioners.
5 — The percentage of deaths in Canada that are medically assisted.
2021 — The year when Track 2 MAID became legal. Track 1 MAID patients are those whose deaths are reasonably foreseeable, while Track 2 patients are those whose deaths are not reasonably foreseeable, but they are enduring suffering that is intolerable to them.
77.9 years — The median age of MAID recipients in Canada. Track 1 recipients are slightly older, with a median age of 78. Track 2 recipients are slightly younger, with a median age of 75.9 years.
16,499 — People who received MAID in 2024.
15,767 — The number of those patients whose deaths were deemed reasonably foreseeable.
10,035 — The number of those patients who had cancer.
732 — The number of MAID patients in 2024 whose deaths were deemed not reasonably foreseeable.
378 — The number of those patients who had neurological conditions.
90 — The minimum number of days required between assessing a Track 2 patient and the day MAID is provided.
1,327 — People who requested MAID in 2024 but were assessed as ineligible to receive it.
692 — People who withdrew their request for MAID in 2024.
68 — People who changed their minds immediately before receiving MAID in 2024.
4,017 — People who wanted MAID but died before receiving it in 2024.
2027 — The year the federal government has said it would begin offering MAID to people whose sole underlying condition is mental illness. This eligibility expansion has been repeatedly delayed. There is significant controversy around whether or not this will happen.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2026.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.