Environics Research study highlights Canadian views on MAID

A national Environics Research study explores Canadian perspectives on MAID 10 years after legalization.

A decade of choice: Canadian views on MAID

Ten years after medical assistance in dying became legal in Canada, new research conducted by Environics Research for Dying With Dignity Canada shows strong support for MAID, high confidence in its regulation, and persistent gaps in public understanding.

Published in Dying With Dignity Canada’s report A Decade of Choice: Canadian Perspectives on MAID, the research explores how seniors, caregivers, and people personally connected to MAID understand end-of-life choice in Canada today.

About the client

Dying With Dignity Canada is a national charity focused on informed end-of-life decision-making. Its work helps people understand their options, including MAID, and supports public education around planning, care choices, and patient autonomy.

The research also supports the launch of WeCanChoose.ca, a plain-language information platform offering tools, guidance, and lived-experience stories for individuals, families, and caregivers navigating end-of-life decisions.

About the research

The report draws on two national surveys conducted by Environics Research in early 2026: a January survey of 1,000 Canadians aged 18 and older, and a February survey of more than 2,000 seniors, caregivers, and adults with a first-degree connection to someone who had considered, been assessed for, or received MAID.

The findings show broad support for MAID. Eighty-one percent of seniors and caregivers support MAID, rising to 89 percent among those personally connected to it. Confidence in regulation is also high: 76 percent of seniors, 77 percent of caregivers, and 85 percent of those connected to MAID say they are confident it is appropriately regulated.

At the same time, the research identifies misinformation and uncertainty. Some respondents held incorrect beliefs about consent, provider incentives, and government motivations, while many caregivers reported discomfort or uncertainty when discussing end-of-life wishes.

What stands out is how widespread MAID misconceptions are, even among caregivers and those who’ve had firsthand experience of MAID. When that kind of widely believed misunderstanding goes unchallenged, it can create unrealistic expectations and lead people to make decisions based on false assumptions.

David MacDonald

Group VP – Environics Research

of seniors and caregivers support MAID

of seniors and caregivers support MAID (personally connected to it)

Research impact

The study gives Dying With Dignity Canada timely evidence to guide public education 10 years after MAID became legal. It shows that personal experience is closely linked to stronger support and confidence, but also that understanding of the MAID process remains uneven.

The findings helped shape WeCanChoose.ca by identifying the information people most need: how to start the process, who to contact, who may qualify, what safeguards exist, and what to expect.

For Environics Research, the project demonstrates how carefully designed research can bring clarity to sensitive public issues and help organizations respond with practical, evidence-based tools.

Personal connection with MAID is playing a key role in shaping public opinion in Canada. As more people encounter MAID through someone they know, the issue becomes less abstract and more grounded in real circumstances.