Funeral Planning After Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) in Canada
For Canadians choosing medical assistance in dying, the funeral that follows can be planned thoroughly in advance — the timing is known, the family can be involved in decisions, and the deceased can shape the service in ways not possible after sudden death. For most aspects, the funeral is structurally similar to any other Canadian funeral.
What's similar to any funeral
- Range of disposition options (burial, cremation, body donation with timing considerations)
- Range of service options (religious, secular, celebration of life)
- Range of venue options
- Cost considerations
- Family arrangements and notifications
- Required documentation (death certificate, funeral home arrangements, etc.)
The MAID procedure itself occurs in a hospital or palliative care setting; transport to the funeral home follows standard procedures.
What's different
Timing is known. The MAID date is scheduled. This allows the family and the deceased to plan the funeral in detail in advance — choosing music, readings, venue, officiant, food, all without time pressure.
Pre-planning by the deceased is more thorough. The deceased can attend funeral home meetings, choose specific elements, write personal messages, and even attend their own pre-death gathering if they choose.
Religious considerations vary. Some traditions (Catholic Church most prominently) have official positions opposing MAID. Local priests, pastors, rabbis, and imams may have varying responses — many provide compassionate pastoral care regardless of official position. Others may decline to officiate. Plan accordingly.
Documentation specifics. The death certificate may indicate MAID. The funeral home needs to know for proper paperwork; family doesn't need to share with attendees if they prefer privacy.
Organ donation may apply. For MAID patients who are eligible, organ donation can occur (see our MAID donation article). This affects funeral timing and arrangements.
Family communication. The known date allows families to communicate with distant relatives, plan travel, and arrange attendance in ways not possible after sudden death.
Pre-planning specifically for MAID
Some elements many MAID patients pre-plan:
Music — specific songs the deceased wanted played.
Readings — scriptures, poems, or personal writings.
Eulogist — who will deliver the eulogy; sometimes the deceased writes their own eulogy or contributes to it.
Officiant — religious leader, humanist celebrant, or family member.
Venue — funeral home chapel, church, family home, outdoor location.
Reception — type of food, music, atmosphere.
Personal messages — letters or videos to specific family members.
Specific elements — particular photos to display, particular objects to include, particular people to invite.
The funeral home can support all of this pre-planning. Many MAID patients spend their final weeks completing these details, which can be a meaningful process.
Religious leader engagement
For families with religious affiliation:
If the tradition supports MAID — engage the religious leader normally; standard funeral participation.
If the tradition opposes MAID — discuss with the local religious leader. Many provide pastoral support to the family even if they can't formally participate. Some traditions distinguish between the person (who is loved and mourned) and the act (which they oppose).
If the local religious leader cannot officiate — engage a different officiant (another religious leader of the same tradition who is more flexible, a humanist celebrant, a funeral celebrant, or a family member).
The funeral home can help identify alternative officiants if needed.
Insurance and benefits
Life insurance. The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association has generally aligned that MAID is treated as natural death from the underlying illness for insurance purposes — typically not treated as suicide. Most policies pay normally. Some older policies may have specific language; check policy terms.
CPP death benefit and other government benefits. Apply normally. MAID does not affect government benefit eligibility.
Estate execution. Proceeds normally per the will. MAID does not affect estate distribution.
What we focus on at It's Simple Will
The Funeral Pre-Planner is designed for thorough pre-planning. For Canadians choosing MAID, the Pre-Planner provides a structured way to capture every aspect of the funeral in detail. Combined with the will and Life Discovery Kit, the deceased's family has comprehensive guidance for the post-death period.
Related guides
Citations & sources
- [1]Health Canada — Medical assistance in dying — Government of Canada
- [2]Funeral Service Association of Canada — Funeral Service Association of Canada
Frequently asked questions
Can I have any kind of funeral after MAID?
Yes — the same range of options as any death. Burial, cremation, body donation (with timing considerations), religious or secular service, memorial gathering. MAID does not restrict funeral choices. The person can pre-plan their entire funeral in detail, knowing the timing.
Do religious traditions accept MAID?
Variable. The Catholic Church opposes MAID and may have specific positions on funeral participation; consult the local priest. Most Protestant denominations have a range of positions, with most pastors providing pastoral care regardless. Reform and Conservative Judaism generally accept MAID; Orthodox positions vary. Islamic and most religious traditions have specific positions worth discussing with the religious leader. Many religious leaders provide compassionate support to families regardless of their tradition's official position.
Should I tell the funeral home it was MAID?
Yes — useful for them to know but not required for service. Some funeral homes have specific protocols for MAID-related deaths (paperwork is slightly different — the death certificate may indicate MAID). The information helps them coordinate with the family appropriately and ensure no specific medical or legal requirements are missed.
Can the funeral happen on a specific day?
One advantage of MAID is timing predictability. Families can pre-schedule the funeral around the MAID date — sometimes within days, sometimes weeks later. Coordination with funeral home, religious leader, family travel, and venue is easier than for unexpected deaths.
Are there any special considerations?
Some specific items — life insurance treatment (MAID is generally treated as natural death by insurers, not as suicide), organ donation possibility (see our dedicated MAID donation article), participation by religious leaders whose tradition opposes MAID (the leader may decline; another officiant may be needed), family communication around a known-date death.
What about pre-planning the deceased was involved in?
For MAID specifically, pre-planning is often more complete than for other deaths because the timing is known. The deceased can — choose specific music and readings, write or record personal messages, plan exact reception details, finalize their letter of wishes, complete funeral pre-arrangements with the funeral home, and even attend their own pre-funeral gathering if they choose.