A Day of Celebration: ALS Canada’s Queen’s Park Reception Recognizes the Impact of the Ontario Provincial ALS Program

On April 21, 2026, Ontario’s ALS community came together for a reception at Queen’s Park to celebrate the Ontario government’s investment in the Ontario Provincial ALS Program. Hosted by ALS Canada, the reception brought together members of the ALS community, including people living with ALS and caregivers, alongside Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) and their teams, to recognize the Program’s impact across the province. 

In 2024, the Ontario government committed $13 million over three years to support the Ontario Provincial ALS Program. Through this investment, people living with ALS in Ontario will have strengthened access to multidisciplinary ALS clinics aligned with Canadian best practices, improved province wide access to community based ALS supports, and sustained timely access to essential equipment, delivering measurable benefits for people living with ALS and Ontario’s health system.   

This investment was the result of years of advocacy and collaboration between the ALS Society of Canada (ALS Canada), the ALS Clinic at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and the regional ALS Clinics in Ontario. It was made possible because the ALS community raised its voice, and the government responded. 

Advocacy is most powerful when it amplifies community voices and lived experiences. Events like the Queen’s Park reception bring the ALS community into the Legislature, face to face with MPPs, ensuring that lived experience is not just shared but deepens understanding and grounds conversations in real-world impact. These moments create connection, build urgency, and remind decision-makers that what they are discussing has a direct impact on members of their communities.

At the reception, ALS Canada’s CEO, Tammy Moore, opened the floor by thanking the Ontario government for its impactful investment in the Ontario Provincial ALS Program. Her remarks were followed by Minister of Health Sylvia Jones (Dufferin–Caledon), as well as MPP Tyler Watt (Nepean), MPP France Gélinas (Nickel Belt), and MPP Aislin Clancy (Kitchener Centre). 

Following the remarks, MPPs had the opportunity to connect directly with members of the ALS community to discuss the impact of the Program and the importance of sustained investment. 

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to MPP Watt for sponsoring the reception, and also for delivering a powerful Members’ Statement during Question Period on  April 21—sharing his lived experience with ALS and honouring the memory of his father, Randy. 

Ahead of the reception, the ALS community had the opportunity to meet with Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones, to thank them for their partnership and discuss the impact of the Ontario Provincial ALS Program. They shared their experiences, highlighting the importance of timely access to equipment, care, and support for individuals and families living with ALS across the province.  

We would like to thank Premier Ford and Minister Jones for making time for this conversation and for their continued commitment to providing support for Ontarians affected by ALS. 

Equipment from ALS Canada’s Equipment Program, a core component of the Ontario Provincial ALS Program, was displayed throughout the reception. ALS Canada’s Equipment Team provided live demonstrations, giving MPPs a tangible sense of how these supports work together to help people living with ALS remain at home and connected to their communities. Seeing a wheelchair, hoyer lift or a hospital bed up close changes the conversation in ways that statistics alone cannot. 

In 2025, ALS Canada’s Equipment Program provided more than 4,000 pieces of equipment to 704 people living with ALS across Ontario. The program achieved an average turnaround time of 10–14 days from request to delivery and setup, providing essential mobility and medical equipment at no cost for the length of time a person living with ALS needs it. 

As we celebrate the meaningful impact made possible through this investment, it is equally important to ensure that this momentum is not lost. Continued support will be critical to sustaining a system that provides access to care, services, and equipment for people living with ALS across Ontario. 

The ALS Society of Canada calls upon the Ontario government to renew the funding for ALS Canada’s Equipment Program, to protect and maximize Ontario’s investment in the Ontario Provincial ALS Program and continue to provide access to vital equipment for Ontarians living with ALS. 

We are grateful to every MPP and their team who joined us to be part of this day.  

Join us in expressing gratitude to the Ontario government for their investment in the Ontario Provincial ALS Program by sending a letter to acknowledge their leadership and reinforce the significance of this commitment for Ontarians affected by ALS.