Canada is nearing 100,000 deaths under its Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) program, a milestone no modern nation has reached, according to estimates from the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.

The coalition reported that roughly 94,125 Canadians have died through MAID from the time of legalization through the end of 2025, projecting that the country will exceed 100,000 assisted deaths by mid-to-late April 2026. In 2025 alone, Ontario recorded 5,303 MAID deaths, a 7.2% increase over 2024, signaling that the program’s growth is accelerating.

Government data supports this trajectory. Health Canada’s Sixth Annual Report confirmed 76,475 cumulative assisted deaths through Dec. 31, 2024. That year, MAID accounted for 16,499 deaths, 5.1% of all Canadian deaths, a 6.9% increase from 2023.

By comparison, other nations with legalized euthanasia have far lower totals. The United States recorded 5,329 deaths over 23 years of state-level assisted suicide programs. Belgium tallied 33,647 over two decades, while Switzerland reported 8,738 in a similar period. The Netherlands had the highest percentage of total deaths from euthanasia at 5.8%, but its smaller population meant fewer raw deaths, 9,958 in 2024, compared with Canada’s 16,499 that year.

Disability advocates have expressed concern about the program’s expanding reach. Roger Foley, a disabled Canadian with an incurable brain disease, told the Daily Mail that caregivers suggested MAID as a way to exit the hospital. “I’m fighting to my last breath, but I’m up against a regime that is cruel, desensitized, and out for blood,” he said.

Canada is also planning to expand MAID eligibility to individuals whose sole condition is mental illness beginning in March 2027, following two prior delays. Critics warn that the expansion could further increase the number of assisted deaths and raise ethical concerns about consent and vulnerability.

The rapid growth of the MAID program underscores Canada’s unique position among nations with legalized euthanasia, both in terms of total deaths and the proportion of the population affected.