Doctor-assisted death is now legal for all Canadians, but without a federal law, the rules and regulations vary from province to province.

In the Maritimes, provincial guidelines determine who can access assistance.

In Prince Edward Island, a patient's natural death must be foreseeable. In Nova Scotia, a patient's condition has to be one that causes them intolerable suffering, while in New Brunswick the patient's illness must be one that will eventually cause their death.

However, the president of the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada says the guidelines are substantially similar. He believes the differences in the guidelines are being overstated.

“I know that each of our member colleges drafted standards that were aligned with Carter,” says Dr. Gus Grant.

Sheilia Sperry, head of the Nova Scotia chapter of Dying with Dignity, says the organization is thrilled that assisted dying is now legal. But, in the absence of a federal law, she worries access is not equal across the country.

“It shouldn't matter whether you live in Halifax or Tatamagouche or Surrey, B.C.,” says Sperry. “That's not right, that's not fair. This whole thing has been about trying to be fair.”

The Supreme Court of Canada says anyone seeking medical assistance in dying must be a consenting adult, but the provinces define adult differently. In Prince Edward Island it’s anyone over the age of 18. But in New Brunswick, the medical age of consent is 16.

In Nova Scotia, the term "adult" has no attached age. It will be up to the courts to decide whether someone under 18 can access assisted dying, as in New Brunswick.

“A 16-year-old is able to consent to their own treatment and a 16-year-old is able to decline treatment,” says Dr. Ed Schollenberg, registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick.

Schollenberg says the provincial differences don't bother him.

“Everybody can sort of imagine the sort of typical case and I think the person will not have difficulty accessing it,” he says.

Any differences in provincial guidelines will be overruled when federal Bill C-14 is passed.

That bill is expected to be amended by the senate on Wednesday.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Sarah Ritchie.