Ice Bucket Challenge raised $16.2M for ALS in Canada

The Ice Bucket Challenge in Canada raised $16.2 million for research intoALS, officials said today.

ALSCanada CEO Tammy Moore and Eve Adams, parliamentary secretary to the minister of health, held a news conference Wednesday morning in Ottawa to reveal the total raised through last summer's popular fundraising efforts.

More than 260,000 Canadians contributed to the challenge.

ALSsocieties will invest $10 million in ALS research and $6 million in programs that deliver support to Canadians living with ALS.

Adams said the Canadian government will match the research funds dollar for dollar, taking the total investment to $20 million. Adams said its the largest one-time injection to ALS research.

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Health Minister Rona Ambrose was one of the many politicians across Canada who endured a bucket of icy cold water over their heads as part of an online campaign to raise awareness and research funds.

Other politiciansincluding Prime MinisterStephen Harper, who was nominated by actor Leonardo DiCaprio, among others declined the cold shower but cut a cheque to the charity instead.

ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, isoften referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, named after the late New York Yankees ballplayer. It's a progressivedisease that affects the brain's nerve cells and the spinal cord.