Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Justice Minister Mickey Amery attend a press conference in Edmonton on April 29, 2025. The Canadian Press/Jason Franson
The Alberta government is taking measures to restrict the eligibility criteria for medical assistance in dying to prevent patients with mental illness or those who are not terminally ill from qualifying for the procedure.
Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party government introduced the Safeguards for Last Resort Termination of Life Act during a press conference on March 18. If enacted, it would limit medical assistance in dying (MAID) to individuals who are expected to die from natural causes within a year, while disqualifying those whose only underlying condition is mental illness.
