End of Life: Have You Had the Talk?

Ten years after medical assistance in dying became legal in Canada, public support for MAID is firmly established. But according to new national research commissioned by Dying With Dignity Canada (DWDC) and conducted by Environics Research, many Canadians still misunderstand how the system works and those knowledge gaps can become especially significant at the end of life.

For Frank A. of Kingston, Ont., the process became a race against time. After his mother was diagnosed with vascular dementia, the family spent more than a year navigating assessments, paperwork and delays as her condition worsened.

"There was not one person to help us, direct us or say, ’This is what’s happening, this is what you need to do.’ It was really ambiguous. And we were kind of paddling upstream," says Julie S., Frank’s wife. Frank and Julie’s experience is far from unique.

This disconnect is the driving force behind WeCanChoose.ca, a vital new educational initiative designed to replace systemic confusion with clear, accessible guidance. By equipping Canadians with the facts before an emotional crisis hits, the platform aims to ensure that no one else has to navigate the end of life in the dark—a mission that hits incredibly close to home for people like Stephan L.

In 2021 Stephan’s father chose MAID. "He wanted to be in control of it. He wanted it to be… something that he dictated, that was not dictated to him." Stephan’s dad had cancer and spent his final hours at home with family in Uxbridge, Ont., watching golf and Downton Abbey before the practitioner arrived. "It gives people the opportunity to die the way they want to die, the same way people have the right to live the way they want to live."

Seniors and caregivers across the country overwhelmingly view medical assistance in dying as a vital end-of-life choice. The survey found that roughly 3 in 4 respondents consider MAID an important option, with 56 per cent of those possessing direct experience and noting it strengthened their support.

Yet, alongside this deep public trust, the study exposed a troubling knowledge gap. More than one-quarter of seniors surveyed incorrectly believed a medical power of attorney can consent to MAID on someone else’s behalf, while other respondents falsely believed that physicians receive financial quotas or incentives to provide it.

For Helen Long, CEO of DWDC, the findings point to the disconnect between Canadians’ broad support for MAID and their understanding of how the system actually functions in practice. Although public trust remains high, she says many families are still entering emotionally charged situations without adequate information about eligibility, consent or the role caregivers can—and cannot—play in the process.

"The system is working, and people trust it," says Long. "But myths and misinformation can create a real barrier to informed decision-making."