Alberta Minister of Justice Mickey Amery announces proposed changes to several pieces of democratic process legislation, in Edmonton on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

By The Canadian Press

CP NewsAlert: Alberta moves to drastically reduce access to medically assisted dying

Mar 18, 2026 | 2:46 PM

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s government is taking steps to sharply restrict who’s eligible for medical assistance in dying.

Smith’s United Conservative Party government has introduced a bill stipulating that only those likely to die of natural causes within a year would be eligible for medical assistance in dying, better known as MAID.

MAID would also continue to be banned for anyone under 18, as federal rules also dictate.

The proposed Alberta limitations are similar to the rules used when Canada’s MAID program was launched in 2016.

A Quebec judge later found those eligibility rules overly narrow and unconstitutional, prompting the federal government to expand eligibility five years ago.

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The federal rules currently allow people to apply for MAID if they’re in an advanced state of decline and suffering from a serious illness or disability not considered terminal.

Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery says the Quebec decision isn’t binding on Alberta and, if necessary, it would defend the bill in court.

Inclusion Canada and Inclusion Alberta also issued statements on the news surrounding MAID today, and each are calling it a welcome step.

The organization explains that Alberta’s new legislation would remove the Track 2 pathway.

“Canada’s assisted dying law currently allows people with disabilities who are not at end of life to receive assisted suicide,” says Krista Carr, CEO, Inclusion Canada.

“The United Nations has stated unequivocally that this practice violates the rights of persons with disabilities and should be repealed. We urge the Government of Canada to amend the Criminal Code to repeal Track 2 and remove eligibility for assisted death for people who are not at end of life, and ensure it is never extended to people with mental illness or mature minors.”

They add that disability poverty, lack of access to supports, inadequate housing, and gaps in health and community services have created conditions where people may feel pressure to seek MAID not because they wish to die, but because they are unable to live with dignity.

“This legislation demonstrates that governments can strengthen laws and better protect people whose lives are not nearing an end,” said Inclusion Canada President Moira Wilson.

“We urge the federal government to review Canada’s MAID law and ensure the same level of protection exists for people with disabilities across the country as for those Canadians without disabilities. We also challenge other provinces and territories to follow suit.”

As for their provincial counterpart, they call Bill 18 a “correction.”

“Track 2 MAID discriminates against persons with disabilities and reinforces dangerous stereotypes about the worth of their lives,” said Trish Bowman, CEO of Inclusion Alberta. “It would protect Albertans with disabilities from discrimination by ensuring Alberta’s health system does not provide assisted suicide to people whose deaths are not reasonably foreseeable.”

The Alberta NDP also commented Wednesday, saying they need time to carefully review the legislation as it was just tabled today.

But the official Opposition says MAID affects people during the hardest time in their lives, and the party recognizes the need for proper guardrails and oversight for people to access it.

With files from Pattison Media

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press