Canada set to surpass 100,000 assisted suicides — more than the country’s WWII death toll
New York Post (A)By Shane Galvin
2026-03-07 07:50 ET
Canada is set to pass a grim milestone in its medically-assisted suicide program with a total of 100,000 citizens projected to be euthanized by the government before its 10th anniversary on June 17.
The Great White North’s MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) program will soon cross the sickly six-figure threshold, according to The National Post.
Ottawa’s most recent data shows 15,767 Canadians were euthanized by the state in 2024 — 5.1% of all deaths in the nation that year.
Rachel Fournier, of Quebec, suffers from a brain tumor and is one of thousands of Canadians seeking doctor-assisted suicide. AFP via Getty Images
About 45 Canucks per day are being euthanized, according to the report.
In 2021, a total of 9,842 Canadian people were euthanized.
Only 2,000 shelter dogs in Canada were put down that year, according to The Vet Desk.
As of 2024, total MAID deaths reached 76,475 citizens, nearly twice the 42,042 of Canadians who died in battle during World War II, according to the Canadian War Museum.
New York recently adopted its own version of the controversial program, the Medical Aid in Dying Act — which religious leaders have called a “societal failing.”
“The proliferation of assisted suicide in Canada is a human tragedy and societal failing — one that New York is on track to duplicate,” said Dennis Poust of the New York State Catholic Conference and a spokesman for New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks on public policy matters.
A memorial for Kiano Vafaeian, 26, who sought the MAID program because of depression, diabetes, and vision problems. Margaret Marsilla/Facebook
Family of Vafaeian said his depression was seasonal and state-induced suicide was not the appropriate solution. Margaret Marsilla
“Canada’s program is indeed a warning, one we pointed to again and again as a harbinger of New York’s future when appealing to lawmakers and the governor,” he said. “What starts out as a ‘choice’ quickly becomes an expectation for patients, especially the poor and underinsured and people with disabilities. Tragically, this is what we can expect here.”
The controversial program has come under renewed scrutiny after reports of same-day approval for MAID applications and claims that patients were pressured to needlessly end their life while suffering from depression.
The family of 26-year-old Kiano Vafaeian are calling for reforms after their son, who had Type 1 diabetes, who suffered seasonal depression and had vision problems, was approved for the suicide procedure and euthanized on Dec. 30, 2025, in British Columbia.
“We never thought there would be a chance that any doctor would approve a 22- or 23-year-old at that time for MAID because of diabetes or blindness,” mother Margarat Marsilla, of Ontario, told Fox News Digital.
New York has become the 14th state to approve a version of doctor-assisted-suicide, with the bill passing by a narrow margin in the state Legislature last June.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
