A Canadian Power of Attorney for Personal Care is a legal document by which one person (the Grantor) appoints another person (the Attorney) to make healthcare and personal care decisions on their behalf if they become incapable of making those decisions personally. In Ontario, this document is governed by Part II of the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992 (S.O. 1992, c. 30), and the Health Care Consent Act, 1996 (S.O. 1996, c. 2, Sched. A), which governs how consent to treatment is obtained and who may give or refuse consent on behalf of an incapable person.

The terminology and governing legislation vary significantly across provinces. In British Columbia, the equivalent document is a Representation Agreement under the Representation Agreement Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 405) — a Section 7 agreement covers routine financial and personal care matters, while a Section 9 agreement grants broader authority including the power to give or refuse consent to healthcare necessary to preserve life. In Alberta, the equivalent is a Personal Directive under the Personal Directives Act (R.S.A. 2000, c. P-6), which appoints an Agent to make personal and medical decisions. In Manitoba, the Health Care Directives Act (C.C.S.M. c. H27) governs the appointment of a healthcare proxy.

The Power of Attorney for Personal Care is fundamentally different from a Power of Attorney for Property — the former covers healthcare, nutrition, shelter, clothing, hygiene, and safety, while the latter covers financial and property management. They are separate documents, and granting one does not grant the other. The Attorney for Personal Care has no authority over the Grantor’s bank accounts, investments, or real estate. Under Ontario’s SDA, the Grantor must be at least 16 years old to make a Power of Attorney for Personal Care (s. 46(1)), and the Attorney must be at least 18 years old and must not be someone who provides healthcare, residential, social, training, or support services to the Grantor for compensation, unless that person is also the Grantor’s spouse, partner, or relative (s. 46(3)).

A Canadian Power of Attorney for Personal Care is needed whenever an individual wants to ensure that a trusted person will be authorized to make healthcare and personal care decisions on their behalf if they become mentally incapable. Without this document, healthcare providers must rely on the statutory hierarchy of substitute decision-makers under the Health Care Consent Act (Ontario) — which may not result in the person the Grantor would have chosen, and which can lead to family disputes and delays in care.

This document is essential for older Canadians planning for cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other conditions that progressively impair decision-making ability. It is equally critical for younger adults who may be rendered incapable by accident, stroke, or sudden illness. The document should be executed while the Grantor is capable — once incapacity occurs, it is too late.

The Power of Attorney for Personal Care is particularly important when the Grantor has strong preferences about end-of-life care, life-sustaining treatment, or religious and cultural values that should govern healthcare decisions. While an advance directive states the Grantor’s wishes, it does not appoint a decision-maker — the Power of Attorney for Personal Care does both: it appoints a decision-maker and provides guidance about the Grantor’s wishes.

Families with complex dynamics — blended families, estranged relatives, or family members who disagree about healthcare values — benefit from a clear Power of Attorney for Personal Care that designates a single decision-maker and provides specific instructions, reducing the potential for conflict and ensuring that the Grantor’s wishes are followed rather than those of the most vocal family member.

Canadians with chronic health conditions, those planning for elective surgery, and those who travel frequently should also have this document in place as part of a comprehensive personal planning strategy alongside a will and a Power of Attorney for Property.

A valid Canadian Power of Attorney for Personal Care must clearly identify the Grantor with their full legal name, date of birth, and address. The Attorney for Personal Care must be named with sufficient identifying information, including their relationship to the Grantor and contact information so that healthcare providers can reach them in an emergency. An alternate Attorney should be named in case the primary Attorney is unable, unwilling, or becomes ineligible to act.

The document should express the Grantor’s healthcare wishes and values in as much detail as possible. Under Ontario’s SDA s. 66(4), the Attorney must follow any applicable wishes the Grantor expressed while capable — so the more guidance provided, the more likely the Grantor’s preferences will be honoured. Key areas to address include: life-sustaining treatment preferences (ventilation, CPR, dialysis, artificial nutrition), pain management priorities, specific treatment consents or refusals (blood transfusions, surgery, organ donation), religious or cultural values that should guide decisions, and preferences about shelter and housing (remaining at home vs. long-term care).

Witness requirements are mandatory and vary by province. In Ontario, two witnesses are required, and neither may be the Attorney, the Attorney’s spouse or partner, a minor, or a person under guardianship. Under s. 46(3), a person who provides healthcare or residential services to the Grantor for compensation cannot serve as the Attorney unless they are the Grantor’s spouse, partner, or relative. In BC, a Section 9 Representation Agreement requires two witnesses. In Alberta, a Personal Directive requires at least one witness.

The document must clearly state that the Attorney’s authority is limited to personal care decisions and does not extend to financial or property matters. It should note that the Attorney cannot consent to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) under the Criminal Code — only the patient may request MAID. The governing law clause must reference the specific Canadian province whose healthcare legislation applies.