Alberta has tabled legislation that would make it the first Canadian province to stop euthanasia.
Alberta will potentially impose strict provincial limits on medical assistance in dying (MAID), restricting euthanasia to end-of-life cases and prohibiting health professionals from initiating discussions about it with patients.
The proposed Safeguards for Last Resort Termination of Life Act, introduced Wednesday, would limit eligibility for MAID to individuals whose natural death is reasonably foreseeable within the next 12 months, effectively ending access for those with non-terminal grievous and irremediable conditions.
It would also bar MAID where mental illness is the sole underlying condition and require additional safeguards, such as family presence during administration in most cases.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith emphasized the protective intent at a news conference.
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“We don’t want anyone to be counselled to end their life prematurely if they do not have a terminal illness,” Smith said. “If we have to make that clear in law, we’ll make that clear in law.”
The bill would explicitly ban regulated health professionals, including doctors and nurse practitioners, from raising MAID unless the patient first brings it up, aligning Alberta with most international jurisdictions where euthanasia is legal but must be patient-initiated to avoid undue influence.
Critics of Canada’s current MAID framework, which allows broader access even for non-terminal suffering, have highlighted risks of pressure on vulnerable groups.
Ontario family physician Dr. Ramona Coelho, who cares for patients with disabilities, chronic pain and mental health issues, described instances where patients felt pressured after repeated offers of MAID.
“While these conversations are often framed as compassionate, we have to consider the risks, particularly the risk of discrimination,” Coelho said in an email. “This means certain groups — such as people with disabilities, older adults, racialized communities and women — may be more likely to have MAID raised to them based on assumptions about their quality of life, and discrimination.”
University of Toronto health law professor Trudo Lemmens called the national practice of presenting MAID as a standard option “mind boggling.”
“It’s mind boggling that MAID would have to be offered as some form of universal therapy for chronic illness,” Lemmens said. “It’s perfectly reasonable and in line with suicide prevention if health-care providers are prohibited from bringing up MAID.”
The proposal contrasts with federal guidance from the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers, which states doctors may discuss MAID as a care option to relieve suffering, provided it is to inform rather than persuade.
If passed, the bill would also mandate training for MAID providers, introduce sanctions for violations and restrict referrals outside the province. Proponents view the measures as essential protections for vulnerable Albertans, ensuring assisted death remains a true last resort rather than a default response to suffering. The legislation underscores growing provincial pushback against expansive federal MAID rules, positioning Alberta as a leader in prioritizing life-affirming care.
