TORONTO -- Ontario's health minister says the province will ensure that drugs for medically assisted dying will be available at no cost.
Eric Hoskins also says the province will establish a referral service that will connect physicians unwilling or unable to provide medically assisted dying with those who are willing to complete a patient's consultation and assessment on the matter.
His comments come as a deadline passed for the federal government to come up with a new law on medically assisted dying.
As of today, medically assisted dying is now legal in Canada, governed by the eligibility criteria set out in a ruling from the Supreme Court of Canada last year, which struck down the ban on assisted dying as a violation of the charter right to life, liberty and security of the person.
Hoskins says Ontario's health regulatory colleges will provide guidance to health-care providers on the matter.
Hoskins also urged the federal government to pass legislation on assisted dying as quickly as possible so a national framework could be established on the practice.
