Canada’s rate of medically assisted deaths rises to record high

Roughly 96% of deaths by euthanasia in 2023 were for those with a terminal condition, as growth in overall cases slows

A growing share of deaths in Canada are from euthanasia, but the vast majority are for terminal illnesses, according to new government figures.

More than 15,000 people received medical assistance in dying in Canada in 2023, the highest figure on record. But federal statistics show the growth in cases has slowed significantly, with assisted death making up 4.7% of deaths, compared to 4.1% the previous year.