We’ve drafted the message, now we need as many local voices as possible to amplify the impact. Press the expand button below to read the letter in full. You can send the message as is – or add your personal story to make it even more powerful.
Dear [MP Name]
As one of your constituents, I’m writing to urge you to support policy changes that will improve the lives and reduce the economic impact of multiple sclerosis (MS) on Canadians and our health system.
Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world, with more than 90,000 people living with this unpredictable and often invisible condition. MS is not just a health challenge—it’s an economic one.
According to a 2023 report by Deloitte Access Economics, MS costs the Canadian economy over $3.4 billion annually. That’s an average of $42,800 per person with MS—one of the highest per-person costs of any disease in Canada.
These costs include:
- $1.3 billion in lost productivity from missed work, early retirement, and unpaid caregiving
- $1.1 billion in direct health care spending, with 87% of that on disease-modifying therapies
- $790 million in other financial costs like home modifications, aids, and long-term care
To help reduce these long-term costs and improve quality of life for people affected by MS, I ask you to support two critical priorities:
1. Modernize the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) to bring costs down for Canadians
The current DTC process is complex, outdated, and doesn’t account for the invisible symptoms that define the MS experience—like fatigue and cognitive impairment. Neurologists and family doctors often struggle to complete these forms under rigid criteria, taking time away from patient care.
By streamlining the DTC application and updating the eligibility criteria to reflect the real-life experience of people with MS, we can:
- Reduce red tape for clinicians
- Improve equitable access to financial supports like the Canada Disability Benefit
- Ensure working-aged Canadians with MS are not unfairly excluded from critical assistance
2. Invest to prevent MS and boost Canadian leadership in science and research
A small percentage of current research funding targets prevention—yet recent discoveries linking Epstein-Barr virus to the onset of MS have opened promising new doors. A strategic federal investment of less than 0.5% of what MS costs our country every year could:
- Help stop MS before it starts
- Delay or halt disease progression
- Keep more Canadians in the workforce longer and reduce long-term disability costs
These policy changes are practical, cost-effective, and backed by evidence. Most importantly, they would make a meaningful difference for tens of thousands of Canadians and their families.
< Your personal comments inserted here / I’m one of those Canadians.>
Thank you for your attention to these issues. I ask you to raise these priorities within Parliament and your caucus.
Sincerely,
[Participant First and Last Name]
[Riding Name]
[Postal Code]
Cc: MS Canada