Medically-assisted dying in Canada reached record high in 2023, about 1 in 20 deaths

Medically-assisted dying in Canada, which is legal in that country in some circumstances, reached a record high last year, accounting for about 1 in 20 deaths, government data shows. 

According to the data, released Wednesday by Health Canada, about 4.7% of Canadians who died in 2023 received MAID, or Medical Assistance in Dying.

This is a 15.8% increase compared to 2022, but overall the upward trend is slowing, according to the data. From 2019 to 2022, the average growth rate was 31%.