The Canadian government officially announced on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, that it will indefinitely exclude individuals whose sole underlying medical condition is mental illness from accessing Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). This legislation, which was previously scheduled to take effect in March 2027, will now be permanently halted to close the ongoing national debate surrounding the practice.
Justice Minister Sean Fraser confirmed in Parliament that the executive branch intends to introduce a legislative reform this autumn to amend the Criminal Code. The proposed changes will maintain the exclusion of mental health cases without establishing a future date for lifting the ban. Canadá ha tomado la decisión de no seguir adelante con la ampliación
of the program for cases where la enfermedad mental sea la única base
for the request, Fraser stated.
Rationale Behind the Legislative Shift
The government’s decision aligns with a recommendation issued in June by a special committee of deputies and senators. Minister Fraser cited two primary factors for the reversal: significant deficiencies in the accessibility of mental health services across various communities and a persistent lack of medical consensus regarding when a mental illness should be classified as irremediable. Aunque no existe un consenso perfecto sobre este tema, creemos que este es el enfoque correcto
, the minister added.
Evolution of Assisted Dying in Canada
- Canada first legalized medical assistance in dying for terminally ill patients in 2016.
- In 2021, the right was expanded to include individuals suffering from serious and incurable diseases, even if their death was not
razonablemente previsible
. - The inclusion of cases based exclusively on mental health had been postponed twice previously, with the most recent deadline set for March 17, 2027.
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