Ottawa — According to the latest annual report from Health Canada, a total of 16,499 Canadians received medical assistance in dying (MAID) in 2024 amounting to roughly 5.1% of all deaths recorded nationwide last year.
The data marks a continued rise in use of MAID since it became legal in 2016. However, the 2024 increase represents a slower growth rate compared with previous years: between 2019 and 2020, MAID provisions rose by 36.8%, but the increment between 2023 and 2024 was just 6.9%.
The bulk of those who opted for MAID were elderly and suffering from serious illnesses with a “reasonably foreseeable” death. The median age of MAID recipients was about 78 years, and cancer remained the most common underlying condition cited.
Under the breakdown defined by Health Canada, the vast majority (95.6%) of MAID deaths fell under “Track 1” cases where natural death was already reasonably expected. A smaller fraction those under “Track 2,” whose deaths were not otherwise imminent made up the remainder.
According to the report, the most frequently cited reasons for seeking MAID remain the loss of ability to carry out meaningful activities or daily living tasks, along with concerns over deteriorating health. Although some patients cited combinations of suffering (e.g. chronic illness, pain, loss of autonomy), isolation or loneliness alone was not reported as a sole reason for MAID in 2024.
Since the legalization of MAID in 2016, about 76,475 Canadians have accessed medically assisted death.
As the number of assisted deaths rises, public debate is also intensifying. Supporters argue that MAID offers a compassionate choice for those facing unbearable suffering and decline, giving individuals control over their final days. Critics, including disability-rights advocates and some medical professionals, warn that the trend could reflect systemic pressures such as gaps in palliative care, insufficient mental-health support, and inadequate social services rather than purely personal, well-informed decisions. Some worry that, over time, MAID may become a default option for those who lack access to quality elder care or long-term support.
With Canada approaching a decade of legalized MAID, Dalena Reporters will continue to monitor changes in MAID uptake, demographic trends among recipients, and ongoing discussions both ethical and policy-oriented about assisted dying, end-of-life care, and the balance between choice, dignity and protection for vulnerable populations.