Poll shows stable support for MAID and mental illness access as Parliament weighs next steps
Canadians’ support for medical assistance in dying (MAID) remains robust even when mental illness is the sole underlying condition, and it has strengthened over time rather than faded.
According to research conducted by Environics Research for Dying With Dignity Canada (DWDC), 80 percent of Canadians support eligibility for MAID where mental illness is the sole underlying medical condition, a level consistent with previous years.
Overall, 85 percent of Canadians continue to support the Supreme Court’s decision in Carter v. Canada, the ruling that led to Canada’s current MAID framework.
As Ottawa once again reconvenes its parliamentary committee to review eligibility for MAID in cases where mental illness is the sole underlying condition, this data points to a stable public backdrop despite the disinformation that continues to be spread.
Helen Long, CEO of Dying With Dignity Canada, said the results indicate ongoing support for “a carefully regulated MAID framework.”
She said that as MPs revisit MAID and mental illness, Canadians’ views appear stable, and that the scheduled end of the exemption in 2027 would come after three reviews, three extensions and six years in which a small group of people could qualify under that criterion.
The research indicates that lived experience with MAID often deepens support.
Twenty-two percent of Canadians report a direct personal connection to someone who has received MAID, and among them, 56 percent say that experience strengthened their support.
Even among Canadians without personal experience, support has grown since MAID became legal in 2016, with 31 percent saying their support has increased; women are more likely than men to say their support has grown stronger.
“Canadians clearly believe that access should be equitable and believe the criteria, safeguards and practice of MAID in Canada is appropriate.” said Long.
The survey also points to strong backing for advance requests.
According to the findings, 82 percent say they support Advance Requests for those diagnosed with a capacity-impairing condition.
Support for Advance Requests with no current diagnosis has increased to 78 percent in 2026 from 72 percent in 2025.
Those “closer to” MAID, by either age or personal experience, tend to be more supportive of MAID across all tracks.
Regional and program-specific patterns emerge as well.
Quebec respondents are more likely to be supportive, while Atlantic Canada is less supportive of MAID overall. Support for Track 2 MAID is 82 percent, up from 78 percent in 2023.
Dying With Dignity Canada is the national human-rights charity committed to improving quality of dying, protecting end-of-life rights, and helping Canadians avoid unwanted suffering.
