Medical assistance in dying, 2022

Medical assistance in dying (MAID) data are collected by Health Canada, in accordance with the Regulations for the Monitoring of Medical Assistance in Dying. More information on MAID legislation (including recent changes), eligibility criteria, and procedural safeguards are available on the Health Canada website.

The microdata made available by Statistics Canada include written requests for MAID dated from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2022, and MAID provisions that occurred in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. The data are submitted to Health Canada directly, or through a provincial/territorial body, by the physicians and nurse practitioners who assessed and/or provided MAID to the person requesting MAID.

These data are only collected on written requests and do not capture verbal requests or any requests received by health professionals other than nurse practitioners or physicians.

The Fourth Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada, 2022—published by Health Canada on the state of MAID in Canada, including aggregate statistics—is available on the Health Canada website.

The following data submissions have been excluded from the microdata:

• pharmacists who dispensed substances for the provision of MAID;
• MAID deaths as a result of self-administration;
• MAID requests that resulted in a referral or transfer of care.

Because the microdata file contains only a subset of all MAID records, the total counts may not match the counts reported by Health Canada or provincial and territorial governments or health authorities. MAID data are subject to revisions by Health Canada.

Amendments to the Regulations for the Monitoring of Medical Assistance in Dying came into force on January 1, 2023. Data collected under these new regulations will be reflected in the 2023 Annual Report, to be released in 2024.