Parkinson's in Canada: Understanding the reality  

More than 110,000 people in Canada are living with Parkinson’s today.

By 2034, it’s estimated that over 150,000 Canadians will be living with Parkinson’s. 

These numbers represent individuals navigating daily challenges, families adapting to new realities, and communities working together to provide support. 

Parkinson’s is currently the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world. Understanding the scope and impact of Parkinson’s helps us build better support systems, advocate for improved care, and advance research that makes a difference. 

On this page: 

  1. Who is affected
  2. What causes Parkinson’s
  3. Parkinson’s price tag
  4. What we don’t know 
  5. Finding reliable information

Who is affected

Age and Parkinson’s 

The main risk factor for Parkinson’s is age. Most people diagnosed with Parkinson’s are 65 or older, but younger people can be affected as well. 

An estimated 5-10% of people with Parkinson’s are diagnosed before age 50.  1 This is called early onset Parkinson’s.  

Learn about early onset Parkinson’s

Men and women alike 

The most recent data shows that men are 1.5 times more likely to develop Parkinson’s than women.2 Males currently make up 57% of people living with Parkinson’s in Canada, while females make up 43%. 3

However, emerging evidence suggests that women experience different symptoms than men and face more barriers to diagnosis, which could contribute to underdiagnosis.4 5 

Research indicates that women with Parkinson’s often experience: 

  • Tremor as the first symptom more frequently than men 
  • More severe non-motor symptoms like anxiety, depression, and fatigue 
  • Greater hurdles in getting an accurate diagnosis 
Learn more about Women and Parkinson’s

What causes Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s develops through a unique combination of factors 6: 

Age 


The primary risk factor. Most people diagnosed with Parkinson’s are 65 or older. 

Genetics 


About 10% of cases are familial or genetic, meaning they are linked to inherited genes. However, most cases happen sporadically without a clear family history. 

Environmental factors 


Exposure to pesticides, industrial pollutants, and certain chemicals. 

By the time motor symptoms appear, someone has typically lost around half of their dopamine-producing neurons.  

Learn about symptoms

Parkinson’s price tag

In 2024, the total cost of Parkinson’s in Canada is estimated at $3.3 billion, projected to increase to $4.4 billion by 2034.  7

People living with Parkinson’s and their care partners bear approximately 90% of these costs – nearly $2 billion in direct and indirect costs in 2024, growing to $2.6 billion by 2034.7

What this means for individuals and families 

In 2024, Parkinson Canada surveyed nearly 2,000 individuals who either live with Parkinson’s or are care partners. Here’s what we learned: 

For people living with Parkinson’s: 

  • 53% had to stop working or retire early 
  • 99% experienced negative effects on mental health, with depressive symptoms being common 

For care partners: 

  • 71% reported out-of-pocket costs averaging $8,610 annually 
  • Care partners provide an average of 21 hours of care per week, increasing to over 30 hours when caring for someone with severe symptoms 

These numbers reveal the significant toll Parkinson’s takes on daily life, financial stability, and mental health for everyone affected.

Learn about Parkinson’s price tag

What we don’t know 

There are areas where reliable data about Parkinson’s in Canada is limited or unavailable. These gaps make it harder to fully understand the condition’s impact across diverse populations. 

Key data limitations: 

  • Early-onset Parkinson’s 
    Limited data on the exact prevalence and progression in younger individuals 
  • Ethnic and gender disparities 
    Limited research on how Parkinson’s affects different populations 
  • Regional data 
    Provincial and territorial data availability varies significantly across Canada 
  • Daily diagnosis figures 
    No consistent, reliable source for tracking daily Parkinson’s diagnoses in Canada 

Understanding these gaps helps researchers and organizations like Parkinson Canada identify where more work is needed. 

Researchers across Canada are working to better understand Parkinson’s, develop new treatments, and improve quality of life for people living with the condition. Every year, we learn more about how to support people at every stage of their Parkinson’s journey. 

Get involved in research
See the research we are funding

Finding reliable information

With information available from many sources online and through social media, it can be challenging to know what’s reliable. 

When looking for information about Parkinson’s, look for sources that: 

✓ Cite research from peer-reviewed journals or established medical institutions 
✓ Are updated regularly with current data 
✓ Come from recognized Parkinson’s organizations or health agencies 
✓ Clearly distinguish between proven treatments and experimental approaches 
✓ Provide transparent information about who created the content and why 

If you’re unsure about information you’ve encountered, reach out to Parkinson Canada or speak with your health care team. 

Learn more about spotting misinformation

We’re here to help

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, or if you have questions about anything on this page, Parkinson Canada is here to support you.

Get in touch

References:

  1. Parkinson Canada. (2022). Every Victory Counts Canadian Edition ↩︎
  2. Wooten, G. F., Currie, L. J., Bovbjerg, V. E., Lee, J. K., & Patrie, J. (2004). Are men at greater risk for Parkinson’s disease than women? Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 75(4), 637-639. Taylor, K. S. M., Cook, J. A., & Counsell, C. E. (2007). Heterogeneity in male to female risk for Parkinson’s disease. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 78(8), 905-906.  ↩︎
  3. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2025). Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/ccdss/data-tool/  ↩︎
  4. Cerri, S., Mus, L., & Blandini, F. (2019). Parkinson’s disease in women and men: what’s the difference?. Journal of Parkinson’s disease, 9(3), 501-515.   ↩︎
  5. Subramanian, I., Mathur, S., Oosterbaan, A., Flanagan, R., Keener, A. M., & Moro, E. (2022). Unmet Needs of Women Living with Parkinson’s Disease: Gaps and Controversies. Movement Disorders, 37(3), 444–455.  ↩︎
  6. National Institute on Aging. (2022). Parkinson’s Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/parkinsons-disease/parkinsons-disease-causes-symptoms-and-treatments. Michael J. Fox Foundation. (n.d.). Causes. https://www.michaeljfox.org/causes. Bloem, B. R., Okun, M. S., & Klein, C. (2021). Parkinson’s disease. Lancet (London, England), 397(10291), 2284–2303. ↩︎
  7. Vázquez-Vélez, G. E., & Zoghbi, H. Y. (2021). Parkinson’s disease genetics and pathophysiology. Annual review of neuroscience, 44(1), 87-108. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34236893/. Cheng, H-C., Ulane, C. M., & Burke, R. E. (2010). Clinical Progression in Parkinson’s Disease and the Neurobiology of Axons. Ann Neurol, 67(6), 715–725.  ↩︎

Additional points of reference:

  • Dorsey, E. R., Sherer, T., Okun, M. S., & Bloem, B. R. (2018). The Emerging Evidence of the Parkinson Pandemic. Journal of Parkinson’s disease, 8(s1), S3–S8. World Health Organization. (2022, 2023). Parkinson disease reports. 
  • Parkinson Canada. (2024). Economic Burden of Parkinson’s in Canada. Full report available at www.parkinsonspricetag.ca