Delta Hospice looks to Alberta for “sanctuary hospice” site after being “stonewalled” by B.C. government
Summary
The Delta Hospice Society, which provides secular, palliative care, is planning to establish a MAiD-free “sanctuary hospice” in Alberta after facing resistance from the B.C. government. With funding secured and potential properties visited, the Society seeks Alberta's protection from being compelled to offer euthanasia—something they oppose based on their commitment to traditional palliative care principles. Their original facility in B.C. was seized in 2021 when they refused to allow MAiD, as the Society didn’t qualify for faith-based exemptions.
Relevance
This article demonstrates how debates about faith-based healthcare overlap with secular institutions that share similar ethical positions, raising questions about exemptions, autonomy, and the scope of government authority in regulating end-of-life care. While the MAiD-free perspective is often held by faith-based institution, this case illuminates an opposition to euthanasia on different grounds, namely a commitment to traditional palliative care principles.