Canada is approaching a milestone that no modern nation has reached: 100,000 deaths through its government-assisted suicide program, known as Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID).
According to estimates from the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC), roughly 94,125 Canadians have died through MAID since the program was legalized in 2016 through the end of 2025, as reported by LifeNews. Based on current trends, the group projects the total will surpass 100,000 deaths by mid-to-late April 2026.
Canada set to pass 100,000 assisted suicides – more than the country’s WWII death toll https://t.co/pANtMaZJ2B pic.twitter.com/vESbteIOL4
— New York Post (@nypost) March 7, 2026
The program’s growth has been steady—and, in some regions, accelerating. Ontario alone recorded 5,303 MAID deaths in 2025, marking a 7.2% increase from the previous year.
Government statistics reflect the same trajectory. Health Canada’s Sixth Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying confirmed 76,475 cumulative assisted deaths through December 31, 2024. In that year alone, 16,499 people died through MAID, accounting for 5.1% of all deaths in Canada—a 6.9% increase compared to 2023.
When compared internationally, Canada’s numbers are striking. According to reporting from the National Post, the United States recorded 5,329 assisted suicide deaths over 23 years through various state-level programs. Other countries with legalized euthanasia have also reported significantly smaller totals.
- Belgium: 33,647 deaths over roughly two decades
- Switzerland: 8,738 deaths in a similar timeframe
- Netherlands: 9,958 euthanasia deaths in 2024 alone
While the Netherlands has a slightly higher share of total deaths attributed to euthanasia—5.8% compared to Canada’s 5.1%—Canada’s larger population has produced far higher overall numbers.
The expansion of the program has drawn criticism and concern from disability advocates. Some argue that vulnerable individuals may feel pressure toward assisted death when adequate medical or social support is lacking.
Roger Foley, a Canadian living with a severe and incurable neurological condition, has spoken publicly about his experience in the healthcare system. According to reporting cited by CBN News, Foley said hospital staff suggested MAID as an option during his care.
“I’m fighting to my last breath, but I’m up against a regime that is cruel, desensitized, and out for blood,” Foley said in comments reported by the Daily Mail.
The debate is likely to intensify as Canada prepares another expansion of the program. The federal government plans to extend eligibility for MAID to individuals whose sole underlying condition is mental illness, a change currently scheduled to take effect in March 2027.
That policy has already been postponed twice following concerns from medical professionals, lawmakers, and advocacy groups about how such cases would be assessed.
