The Government of Alberta has introduced legislation that would prohibit medical assistance in dying for people whose sole underlying condition is mental illness.
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If passed, the proposed Safeguards for Last Resort Termination of Life Act would add new protections to the province’s approach to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), including restricting eligibility and strengthening oversight.
Premier Danielle Smith said the legislation is aimed at protecting vulnerable Albertans and ensuring the practice is not used as a substitute for mental health care or social supports.
“This legislation strengthens safeguards and restores clear limits on eligibility to protect vulnerable Albertans facing mental illness or living with disabilities,” Smith said in a statement. “Those struggling with severe mental health challenges need treatment, compassion and support, not a path to end their life at what may be their lowest moment.”
Under the bill, MAID would only be available to patients whose natural death is reasonably foreseeable. The legislation would also prohibit MAID for anyone under 18 and for those whose sole condition is a mental illness.
Justice Minister Mickey Amery said the government has a responsibility to ensure proper safeguards are in place.
“We have a responsibility to protect vulnerable Albertans,” Amery said. “This legislation will ensure that proper protections and oversight are in place and MAID only remains as an option of last resort.”
The bill would also allow physicians and health-care facilities to refuse to assess or provide MAID and prohibit doctors from referring patients to receive the procedure outside Alberta. Health-care professionals would also be restricted from initiating conversations about MAID with patients.
In addition, the legislation would require MAID providers to meet education and training standards and introduce sanctions for assessors or providers who fail to comply with the law.
Supporters of the bill say it strengthens protections for people experiencing mental illness.
Kelsi Sheren, a Canadian combat veteran and PTSD advocate, called the legislation “a positive first step” toward protecting vulnerable people.
Dr. Ramona Coelho, a family physician and member of Ontario’s MAID Death Review Committee, said assisted dying should remain an exceptional end-of-life measure rather than a substitute for medical care or social services.
Mara Grunau, CEO of the Alberta division of the Canadian Mental Health Association, said recovery from mental illness is possible and welcomed stronger protections.
Canada has one of the fastest-growing rates of MAID deaths globally, according to the provincial government. Since 2021, when federal rules expanded eligibility to include people whose death is not reasonably foreseeable — known as Track 2 MAID — the number of deaths under that category has increased by more than 200 per cent.
The Alberta government said it will continue consulting with health-care professionals, patients and families as the legislation moves forward.
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