MAID applicants should have more mental health support, says Quebec coroner

MONTREAL — A Quebec coroner is calling for better mental health support and resources for people who apply for medical assistance in dying, in response to the case of a 91-year-old Montreal-area man who died by suicide last year shortly after his MAID request was refused.

Coroner Julie-Kim Godin noted in her recent report that the man had spoken to several medical professionals over the years about his struggles with grief and aging, as well as his suicidal thoughts. He requested MAID while hospitalized after a previous suicide attempt, but was refused because he did not have a serious and incurable illness. He died by suicide a few months later, in April 2025.

Godin says no structured support plan was put in place to help the man despite his repeated requests for help, his MAID application or his previous suicide attempt.

“His (death) took place in a complex context that included deep and persistent distress, complicated grief, losses associated with aging and a lack of concerted, appropriate and effective mental health care,” Godin wrote in the report dated Feb. 18.

The report said the man had a long and successful career and family life, but struggled deeply with grief and suicidal ideas after his wife died during the COVID-19 pandemic. He had some medical and psychiatric followup, but those meetings eventually ended, the report said.

In the ensuing years, he reached out to a suicide prevention group, his health clinic and his family doctor. He received two brief sessions with a mental health nurse in 2023 and 2024, and was later prescribed medication but offered no further psychological support.

His MAID request came after he was hospitalized at Lakeshore General Hospital west of Montreal for a suicide attempt in late 2024. He told the staff he had “led a very nice life and was well surrounded by his loved ones who he loved deeply,” but he struggled with the death of his spouse and his solitude and loss of autonomy as he aged. His request was refused.

Godin says the man was discharged from the hospital and advised to contact the mental health supports at his local clinic, but the staff did not take any concrete steps such as a referring him to a mental health professional or contacting a community group.

The man’s family also expressed concern over his risk of suicide and asked for support, but did not receive any, Godin said.

The coroner noted that it was left largely up to the 91-year-old to advocate and seek help for himself.

“Despite the intensity of the suffering he expressed and a recent suicide attempt, no concerted support adapted to his needs appeared to have been put in place,” the coroner wrote. “It should be noted that no regular followup was put in place to follow the changes in his state nor to actively support his safety.”

Godin said it is “particularly concerning” to see people continue to die by suicide after having expressed deep suffering to doctors and having sought MAID, noting that other coroners have reached similar conclusions.

“Ultimately, it is fundamental to review the guidelines regarding the trajectory of MAID requests,” Godin wrote, adding that care for patients with “existential suffering or incurable mental disorders (be) respectful, humane … focused on the dignity of the person.”

Godin is recommending the province ensure that everyone who expresses a desire for MAID have access to adequate support for their physical, psychological, psychosocial and spiritual needs. That support should include suicide prevention strategies, especially when a MAID request is denied, Godin wrote.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 4, 2026.

Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press