Access to medical assistance in dying: the Lanaudière region is the "world champion"

The use of medical assistance in dying continues to increase in Quebec, and the Lanaudière region is the "world champion" in this regard.

In this region, over 13% of deaths are attributable to medically assisted dying. This is much higher than the Quebec average, where the proportion is close to 8% of deaths.

The disparity between regions troubles ^Dr. Lucie Poitras, president of the Commission on End-of-Life Care. While the use of medical assistance in dying is more pronounced in Lanaudière, it is only 4.7% in Montreal.

The increased presence of cultural communities could be the cause of this situation, ^Dr. Poitras suggested in an interview with our Parliamentary Bureau. However, a more in-depth examination is underway to determine the underlying causes.

Greater social acceptance

Quebec is a world leader in the use of medical assistance in dying. "We are the Canadian champions and the world champions," explains the woman who just tabled her report in the National Assembly.

Other jurisdictions offering euthanasia lag far behind. Across the country, 4.7% of deceased Canadians received medical assistance in dying. In the Netherlands, the proportion ranges between 5.4% and 5.8% of deaths, while in Belgium, euthanasia accounts for 3.6% of registered deaths.

"Just because we're the champions doesn't mean it's bad. It's true that here, there have been so many discussions at the societal level about this type of care that there is greater social acceptance," argues ^Dr. Poitras.

A research group was nevertheless established to examine the phenomenon "Why are there more of them here than elsewhere?" Since the adoption of the Act respecting end-of-life care in 2014, the upward trend has not slowed, even if it has stabilized somewhat.

Short deadline

No less than 6268 people used it between April ^1, 2024 and March 31, 2025, an increase of 9% compared to the previous year.

The majority of Quebecers who died through medical assistance in dying were 70 years of age or older and were battling cancer.

More than half of them received this end-of-life care in a hospital setting. While the average time between when a person requests medical assistance in dying and its administration is a month and a half, no less than 43% of people received the care in less than 10 days, sometimes even in a single day.

This is subject to increased monitoring. "We follow them, we analyze them, we also follow up with the College [of Physicians] to be really sure that these people have had time to think about it," explains the Chair of the Commission.

Almost all cases of medical assistance in dying were administered in accordance with the law. However, in the past year, 19 cases did not meet the requirements.

A portrait of medical assistance in dying in Quebec in 2024-2025

– 6,268 people received medical assistance in dying, representing 7.9% of deaths

– The majority of people who received medical assistance in dying were aged 70 and over, had cancer, and had a survival prognosis of 1 year or less

– People received medical assistance in dying in a hospital (52%), at home (28%), in a palliative care home (10%) or in a long-term care facility (9%)

– Medical assistance in dying was administered on average 44 days after the signed request

– 99.7% of medical assistance in dying cases were administered in accordance with the End-of-Life Care Act

– Two-thirds of requests for medical assistance in dying have been administered

Proportion of deaths by medical assistance in dying, by region

Lower St. Lawrence: 10.6%

Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean: 6.4%

Capitale-Nationale: 10.4%

Mauricie: 5.4%

Estrie: 9.3%

Montreal: 4.7%

Outaouais: 6.8%

Abitibi-Témiscamingue: 8.8%

North Shore: 6.6%

Northern Quebec: 9.3%

Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine: 6.5%

Chaudière-Appalaches: 8.5%

Laval: 6.5%

Lanaudière: 13.4%

Laurentians: 7.5%

Montérégie: 9.5%

Centre-du-Québec*

*The proportion of deaths related to medical assistance in dying in the Centre-du-Québec region is not indicated in order to respect confidentiality rules, as there were fewer than ten.

Source: Annual Report of the Commission on End-of-Life Care