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Alberta bill would limit medically assisted dying to patients facing 'reasonably foreseeable' death
Bill 18 would ban MAID for mental illness and require a family member present during administration, aiming to protect vulnerable people, officials said.
- On April 29, 2025, Alberta's United Conservative Party introduced Bill 18 to restrict MAID to those likely to die within 12 months, announced in Edmonton.
- Amid federal changes to MAID policy, the government argued a Quebec judge found federal MAID rules overly narrow, prompting federal expansions five years ago, supporting Alberta's legislative efforts.
- Under the proposed law, Bill 18 would bar MAID for patients with only mental illness, require a direct family member at administration, create 150-metre exclusion zones around health-care facilities including Catholic facilities, and impose training and sanctions on doctors and nurse practitioners.
- If passed, the law would make Alberta the first province to limit MAID provincially, with officials pledging court defence and Amery calling the Quebec ruling non-binding while Smith may invoke the notwithstanding clause; federal spokespeople noted provinces can set MAID delivery frameworks.
- The federal timeline shows legislation slated for March 2027, with critics arguing Alberta's limits aim to safeguard vulnerable people amid federal plans to expand MAID eligibility. Smith said the law seeks balance between access and protection.
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42 Articles
Alberta proposes sweeping MAID limits in new bill
Read: 5 min Alberta proposed sweeping reforms to medical assistance in dying (MAID) Wednesday, introducing a bill that would restrict MAID to people who only have a year or less to live. If passed, the legislation would also prohibit MAID for people whose only condition is a mental illness, as well as mature minors and advance requests. At a press conference, Premier Danielle Smith said the province’s goal is to protect vulnerable Albertans. “Th…
The Alberta government wants to prevent access to medical assistance in dying for patients whose natural death is "unreasonably foreseeable."
·Montreal, Canada
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Total News Sources42
Leaning Left26Leaning Right2Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution74% Left
Bias Distribution
- 74% of the sources lean Left
74% Left
L 74%
C 20%
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