Members of the ALS community meet with MPPs and policymakers to highlight how the Ontario government’s investment is improving care and support for people affected by ALS across the province
TORONTO, April 21, 2026 – The ALS Society of Canada (ALS Canada), alongside members of the ALS community, including people living with ALS, caregivers, clinicians, and advocates, gathers at Queen’s Park today to recognize the impact of the Ontario government’s investment in the Ontario Provincial ALS Program. The Program reflects years of advocacy by the ALS community to improve access to coordinated care, trusted information, and essential supports for people affected by the neurological disease across Ontario.
In October 2024, the Ontario government announced a $13 million investment to implement the Program. Of the provincial funding, $3.2 million supports ALS Canada’s Community Services Program, which provides one-on-one guidance led by Community Leads who offer trusted information following an ALS diagnosis, as well as the ALS Canada Equipment Program, which helps ensure timely access to essential mobility, communication, and respiratory equipment.
Throughout the day, members of the ALS community will meet with Members of Provincial Parliament and policymakers to share lived experiences and highlight how the Program is making a difference. These conversations include demonstrations of mobility devices and equipment made possible by provincial funding, ensuring safety, independence, and quality of life for people living with ALS and their caregivers.
“When the Ontario government invested in the Ontario Provincial ALS Program, it sparked a ripple effect of hope and meaningful change for the ALS community,” said Tammy Moore, Chief Executive Officer of ALS Canada. “Today, when someone receives an ALS diagnosis, they can rely on a network of experienced experts who can help them manage symptoms, along with access to trusted, reliable information, and vital equipment that helps people navigate what comes next.”
That impact is seen and felt by people living with ALS and their families across Ontario. In 2025, ALS Canada supported 1,450 Ontarians through its Community Services Program and provided equipment support to 704 people, including more than 4,000 pieces of equipment delivered across the province.
“Supporting and advocating for my husband, David, showed me just how overwhelming ALS can be, as the needs of people affected change rapidly and intensify. Families need timely support when they need it,” said Patsy Ma, beloved wife of her husband, David Ma. “I am deeply grateful that the Ontario government stepped forward with funding for the Ontario Provincial ALS Program. This investment is helping ensure better care and support for people living with ALS today, and for families who will face this devastating disease in the future.”
The Ontario Provincial ALS Program includes $3.6 million in funding to sustain care at Ontario’s five ALS clinics and support access to coordinated, multidisciplinary teams. The program also supports establishing a strategy to expand access to a multidisciplinary ALS clinic into Northern Ontario, helping reduce the need for long-distance travel and advance more equitable access to care for people living with ALS.
This investment has helped demonstrate what is possible when governments commit to coordinated ALS care and support. ALS Canada will continue to share learnings from Ontario’s experience to inform broader discussions about improving ALS care across Canada.
About ALS and the ALS Society of Canada
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an unrelenting and currently terminal disease. It progressively paralyzes people because the brain is no longer able to communicate with the muscles of the body that we are typically able to move at will. Over time, as the muscles of the body break down, someone living with ALS will lose the ability to walk, talk, eat, swallow, and eventually breathe. Nearly 4,000 Canadians live with ALS and approximately 1,000 Canadians are diagnosed each year. Four out of five people living with ALS will die within two to five years of their diagnosis.
The ALS Society of Canada is working to change what it means to live with ALS. Grounded in and informed by the Canadian ALS community, we respond to the urgent unmet need for life-changing treatments by investing in high-quality research that will fuel scientific discovery and by engaging industry, supporting increased clinical capacity, and advocating for equitable, affordable, and timely access to proven therapies.
Responding to the tremendous need for current and credible ALS knowledge, awareness, and education, we empower Canadians affected by ALS to navigate the current realities of ALS, be informed consumers of ALS information, and advocate effectively for change. In Ontario, we provide direct community services to help people navigate ALS.
Founded in 1977, we are a registered charity whose work is powered by generous donors who share our vision of a world free of ALS.
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Join the conversation and connect with the ALS community online. Find ALS Canada on X, Instagram, or like our page on Facebook. Visit als.ca to find out more.
For more information
ALS Society of Canada
media@als.ca
437-703-5402