Government
Relations and Social Action 
The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, Ontario Division, works with people who have MS to ensure they have the opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of life. Volunteers across the province endeavour to change government policies, private industry practices and public attitudes in ways that will benefit people with MS.
Current
Issues
Supportive housing and age-appropriate long term care
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Supportive/assisted living is provided through collective housing, with the addition of services such as meals, housekeeping, and round-the-clock personal care and health services. The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care funds 24-hour support care in a variety of settings although there are currently long waiting lists for relatively few spaces. While recent investments have been made to supportive housing, more needs to be done to help Ontarians with MS remain in their communities.
Although just a small minority of people younger than age 65 with MS require institutional care, it is vital for their quality of life that their housing and care are appropriate for their age. In the view of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, the appropriate solution is the availability of a continuum of appropriate housing and care.
Find out what the MS Society in Ontario is doing to move these issues forward.
Read the MS Society’s submission in preparation of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy.
Read the briefing document by the MS Society - Brief on supportive housing and long-term care
Read the position paper by the MS Society - Finding My Place: Age-appropriate housing for younger adults with multiple sclerosis
Report
on Accessible Housing in the Halton Region – December
2003.
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to top Access to drug therapies
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Ontarians with multiple sclerosis who utilize the Trillium Drug Program and the Ontario Drug Benefit Program to access vital drug therapies cannot access some of the newer, more innovative therapies that alter the course of MS. When a new MS therapy is approved by Health Canada, the MS Society and its volunteers work to ensure that provincial governments reimburse these therapies under public drug programs.
Some MS therapies may reimbursed through Ontario Public Drug Programs, while some may be available through Ontario’s Exceptional Access Program.
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to top Support for the endMS Research and Training Network
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The MS Society of Canada has created a new program that will
accelerate the pace of MS research and establish Canada as the
premier destination in the world to pursue a career in MS research.
To date, the campaign to support the endMS Research and Training
Network has raised $10 million, including a $1.5 million gift
from the Government of Alberta. Find out more about the network,
the campaign, and the support that the MS Society is seeking
from the Government of Ontario.
Read the briefing document by the MS Society - Brief on research.
www.endms.ca - Visit the campaign site.
back to top Ontario was the first jurisdiction in Canada to introduce accessibility legislation. Introduced in 2005, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) will make Ontario accessible by 2025. This will be done through the development and implementation of five accessibility standards.
The MS Society has been active in the development of these standards through the involvement of volunteers who sit on Standard Development Committees, and by providing feedback to government on the proposed standards.
Read the MS Society’s feedback on the proposed standards:
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