Summary of the LCO's 56 Recommendations Regarding End-of-Life Care

  • January 21, 2022
  • Tyler Lin, de Vries Litigation LLP

On October 1, 2021, the Law Commission of Ontario (“LCO”) released part one of its two-part report on end-of-life care: “Last Stages of Life: Final Report”. This report was created through extensive research and consultation, and in total, presents 56 recommendations spanning 9 discussion themes. Recommendations relevant to health and estate lawyers summarized below.

  1. The government of Ontario should adopt an official definition of palliative and end-of-life care. This can ensure consistent recognition across health and related services, and help with legal reform.

 

  1. Groups such as the Ontario Bar Association, LawPro, and Canadian Medical Protective Association should establish inter-professional training programs. These programs will focus on the provision of professional services to those in their last stages of life

 

  1. The Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (“OPGT”), specifically, the Trustee’s Treatment Decisions Unit, should collaborate with healthcare practitioners to discuss ways to empower advance care planning and consent.

 

  1. The OPGT should update their Power of Attorney kit, clarifying distinctions between advance care planning, goals of care, and health care consent.