Government of Alberta News Release March 18, 2026
If passed, the Safeguards for Last Resort Termination of Life Act would make clear that MAID cannot be provided where mental illness is the sole underlying condition. It would strengthen protections for vulnerable Albertans and ensure MAID is not used when other care and treatment options are available.
Alberta’s proposed legislation would introduce the following protections:
- Limit MAID eligibility to those whose natural death is reasonably foreseeable and prohibit MAID where a natural death is not reasonably foreseeable, also known as Track 2 MAID.
- Prohibit MAID in Alberta for those under 18, and for those whose sole condition is a mental illness.
- Allow physicians and health care facilities to refuse to assess or provide MAID.
- Prohibit physicians from making referrals for individuals to receive MAID outside of Alberta.
- Restrict health care professionals from initiating conversations about MAID with a patient.
- Require MAID providers to meet education and training requirements and introduce sanctions for MAID assessors and providers not complying with the law.