The age of aging is here. Canada is ready to lead.

By Dr. Howard Chertkow and Dr. Nicole Anderson

By 2050, dementia rates in Canada are expected to double, placing massive strain on families, healthcare systems and long-term care homes. This week, as the world’s top dementia researchers gather in Toronto for the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®), Canada has an opportunity to show it is not just a host, but a global leader in the fight against dementia.

As Canada’s population ages and dementia becomes more prevalent, the strain on families, caregivers and the healthcare system will only grow. Yet among the top ten chronic diseases of aging, dementia is the only one where effective treatments that slow or alter the course of the disease are still in their early stages and not available in Canada. The actions we take now will determine whether we are ready to meet the challenge ahead.

Canada is well-positioned to lead. We are large enough to scale innovation, yet small enough to coordinate it effectively. Ten years ago, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research helped launch the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA), a national research network now representing more than 350 scientists across disciplines. Today, CCNA is a global model for collaborative dementia research.

For the daughter helping her mother navigate early memory loss, or the physician determining when a patient should stop driving, research breakthroughs offer more than clarity — this research offers hope.

That hope is grounded in the work being done across Canada to address dementia from every angle.

One area where Canada stands out is research on sex and gender differences. While some countries have pulled back funding for such research, CCNA has made it a central pillar. Women are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s and related dementias, yet their unique risk factors were long understudied. Canadian researchers are now demonstrating how biological sex influences onset, progression and treatment. By applying this lens across our work, we’re improving outcomes for everyone.

Prevention is another key focus. AAIC 2025 will spotlight global strategies to reduce dementia risk — and Canada is already helping to lead that conversation.

At the Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and Wellness at Baycrest, we work with more than 100 scientists collaborating through CCNA’s national prevention program to develop and validate ways to reduce dementia risk through lifestyle changes and low-cost medications. Ahead of AAIC, the Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and Wellness co-hosted an international workshop on how combining these tools could dramatically lower future dementia rates.

But turning momentum into progress will require political will. Canada’s National Dementia Strategy was passed with unanimous support in Parliament. Now is the time to build on that commitment — with stable funding and stronger global partnerships that translate research into practical solutions.

We’re already seeing what’s possible. Patients at Baycrest’s Sam and Ida Ross Memory Clinic have access to advanced spinal fluid biomarker tests for early diagnosis, virtual memory clinic assessments and novel therapies with electrical stimulation, none of which were available a decade ago. We also participate in international studies of new therapies to slow Alzheimer Disease, using novel molecular approaches. We are part of COMPASS-ND, CCNA’s ground-breaking database of people with dementia, which has the potential to radically transform our understanding of Alzheimer’s and other dementia states.

Another promising initiative is the Driving and Dementia Roadmap, a free online toolkit developed by researchers at Baycrest and Sunnybrook. Funded by the CCNA, it supports individuals with dementia, their families and clinicians in navigating the emotionally difficult — and safety-critical — decision of when to stop driving.

Canada has the infrastructure, expertise and collaborative mindset to lead the next era in brain health. To do so, we must:

• Invest in prevention studies and scale them up for the population
• Expand access to early diagnostic tools
• Deepen international research collaboration

The time to act is now — while the window of opportunity is still open. Canadians are ready to lead. The world is watching.

Dr. Howard Chertkow is a neurologist and leading expert in dementia research. He is Scientific Director of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) and Chair in Cognitive Neurology and Innovation at Baycrest. He is a senior scientist at the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education and leads the Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and Wellness at Baycrest. He is also a Professor of Medicine (Neurology) at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Nicole Anderson is a Senior Scientist and registered clinical neuropsychologist at the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education. In her leadership roles, Dr. Anderson serves as the Associate Scientific Director of the Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and Wellness at Baycrest, the Interim Executive Director of Scientific and Academic Affairs and the Director of the Ben & Hilda Katz Interprofessional Research Program in Geriatric and Dementia Care.