Substitute Decision-Maker Appointments: Toward Uniform Recognition

When making plans for the future, many individuals create documents appointing substitute decision-makers to make decisions on their behalf in the event they become incapacitated. In Canada, there are generally two types of appointments, governing decisions in different spheres of life. The appointments are made in separate documents, generally being:

1. A Power of Attorney, which appoints a substitute decision-maker to deal with financial matters; and
2. A Personal Directive (or Health Care Directive), which appoints a substitute decision-maker to deal with health care and personal decisions.

Although these documents have different names throughout Canada, they are referred to here as a "PoA" and a "PD".