Health Minister Eric Hoskins and Attorney General Madeleine Meilleur released a statement Monday morning outlining the province’s approach to assisted dying in the absence of federal legislation.

Ontario will make the drugs required for medical assistance in dying available for free and set up a referral service that doctors can use to consult with each other on assisted dying cases. The referral service will also help doctors who won’t, or can’t, assist a patient with dying to refer the case to a doctor who will.

"Beginning today, medical assistance in dying is permitted in Ontario as a result of a decision by the Supreme Court of Canada,” the statement says. “Patients who wish to access medical assistance in dying should talk with their health care provider. Health care providers should consult their regulatory colleges about any rules, guidelines or practices regarding medical assistance in dying.”

Premier Kathleen Wynne, at a press conference Monday, said assisted dying is available to Ontarians.

"There are protocols in place," said Wynne. "We've been working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to make sure that people understand that it is possible for them to get this procedure. They would have to work through their doctor."

Patients and doctors have been petitioning the Ontario Superior Court on individual assisted dying cases and that’s no longer legally required, said Wynne.

However, the ministers encouraged patients and doctors to go to the court anyway, for “further clarity about how the Supreme Court's decision applies to their particular circumstances.”

Hoskins and Meilleur also urged the House of Commons and the Senate to continue to work to pass legislation, but said the province will also pursue amendments “to provincial legislation to further support the implementation of medical assistance in dying.”

Canada’s law against doctor-assisted suicide became invalid at 12 a.m. Monday morning after the Supreme Court ruling of February 2015.

The House of Commons has passed the federal government’s assisted dying legislation, but it hasn’t yet passed the senate. Meanwhile, constitutional expert Peter Hogg is expected to appear before the senate committee Monday and tell MPs the legislation is unconstitutional and incompatible with the Supreme Court ruling, according to a report by The Canadian Press.

Ontario moving forward with assisted dying policy in absence of federal legislation

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