More than $2 million was raised in B.C. and the Yukon during the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
The event went viral, making a huge impact for funding ALS research to find the cause and cure for the disease
In Canada, 260,000 people raised more than $16 million.
This is a record for donations to the ALS community.
According to the ALS Canada website, ALS Societies will invest $10 million in ALS research and $6 million in programs that deliver critical support to Canadians living with ALS.
The $10 million dedicated to research will be matched one to one through a new research partnership with Brain Canada for a total of $20 million.
This investment in the ALS Canada Research Program is the biggest in history, with specific project details to be announced next month.
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a neurodegenerative disease where the cells in the body that control movement die, resulting in loss of mobility and eventual paralysis, eventual complete loss of speech and finally the loss of the ability to breathe, acording to the ALS Canada website.
There is no effective treatment or cure.
Between 2,500 to 3,000 Canadians are living with ALS. Each year it is estimated 1,000 Canadians will die from it and 1,000 will be newly diagnosed. Average life span with the disease is between two to five years.
"The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is a gift which we are thankful to be the recipient of," said Wendy Toyer, executive director of the ALS Society of British Columbia.
"We accept the responsibility to use the funds towards a world without ALS. In the past there was concern for the lack of awareness about ALS and lack of funds to support research.
"In August 2014, these two concerns were eliminated.
"Success is now within our grasp. Thank you to Pete Frates for getting this event off the ground and thank you to all who supported this."
