The AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT), Canada’s oldest HIV service agency, has announced it will close its doors next year after more than four decades of supporting those living with and affected by HIV.
Founded in 1983, at the height of the AIDS crisis, ACT was a lifeline during a time when the disease was marked by stigma, long-term illness, and often death. Today, thanks to groundbreaking treatment and prevention options, people with HIV are living longer, healthier lives — a shift that has led to a steep decline in demand for ACT’s services.
Executive director Ryan Lisk said the decision to close reflects both progress and new challenges. “It’s time to pass the torch to organizations that better serve today’s needs,” Lisk said, pointing to priorities such as ensuring access to affordable medications and helping people manage HIV as a chronic condition.
Lisk noted that ACT has faced stagnant federal, provincial, and municipal funding for decades, while donations have steadily declined. These financial pressures, combined with a changing health-care landscape, made it increasingly difficult to sustain operations.
With a third of ACT’s service users now over 55, the closure marks a turning point in how HIV support services will be delivered in Toronto, shifting toward integrated health-care models that reflect the evolving reality of living with HIV.