What to know
- The 2026 Pull to End ALS takes place at York University on Saturday, Sept. 19, beginning at 9 a.m.
- Teams of up to 14 participants will compete to pull a 42,000-pound transport truck for 100 metres.
- Each team must raise at least $4,000 to secure its place, while groups that raise $10,000 can unlock additional event-day perks.
- ALS Canada hopes to raise $258,000 to support community services, advocacy efforts and research benefiting people and families affected by ALS.
A show of strength is returning to Toronto this fall, but the challenge is about much more than moving a truck.
The 2026 ALS Canada Pull to End ALS will bring teams together at York University on Saturday, Sept. 19, where participants will race against the clock to pull a 42,000-pound transport truck by hand for 100 metres.
The event begins at 9 a.m. and is designed to turn teamwork, friendly competition, and physical determination into support for Canadians affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS.
Teams can include up to 14 people, including a captain, and may be made up of friends, relatives, colleagues, and anyone ready to take on the challenge.
Groups will compete for the title of 2026 Toronto Pull to End ALS Champions while working toward a larger fundraising goal of $258,000.
The weight of the truck is also intended to represent the burden carried by nearly 4,000 Canadians living with ALS and their families each day.
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that gradually prevents the brain from communicating with the muscles. As it advances, people may lose the ability to walk, talk, eat, swallow, and eventually breathe.
There is currently no cure. According to ALS Canada, approximately 1,000 Canadians are diagnosed with the disease each year, while every person has an estimated one-in-300 lifetime risk of developing it.
Around 80 per cent of people with ALS die within two to five years of being diagnosed.
How the Pull to End ALS works
Each participating team must raise at least $4,000 to secure its place in the Toronto event. Registration is open, but spots are limited.
Teams that raise $10,000 or more can unlock what organizers call the “First-Class” experience, which comes with additional event-day perks.
The fundraising goal must be reached at least two weeks before the event for teams to receive all of the benefits.
First-Class teams will also have an opportunity to invite up to 20 family members and friends to join them and take an additional pull.
Otherwise, the event is limited to registered participants and is not open to the general public.
Along with the truck-pulling competition, the day will include a live DJ, team activities, a silent auction and a food-truck lunch.
For those who cannot participate, donations can be made directly to the campaign or in support of a registered individual or team through the Toronto Pull to End ALS website.
Where the money goes
Funds raised through the event support ALS Canada’s work in three primary areas: community services, advocacy and research.
In Ontario, the organization provides services intended to help people and families manage the daily realities of ALS. These supports can include home visits, support groups, educational resources and access to medical equipment such as wheelchairs, hospital beds and stairlifts at no cost to the people who need them.
The money also supports provincial and federal advocacy efforts, including calls for improved home and community care, greater investment in research and access to ALS therapies.
Another portion is invested in the national ALS Canada Research Program, which awards peer-reviewed grants to researchers studying the causes, progression and potential treatment of the disease.
The Pull to End ALS has continued to grow in recent years. In 2024, 11 teams helped raise more than $220,000 through the Toronto event. The fundraiser expanded beyond the city for the first time in 2025, adding a second event in Simcoe County.
This year, the Toronto event will take place at York University on Sept. 19, while a separate Pull to End ALS will be held at Georgian College’s Barrie campus on Oct. 18.
Toronto teams can register online and begin fundraising ahead of the September challenge.
