Canada still has one of the highest incidences of asthma in the world. This chronic lung disease affects an estimated three million Canadians and approximately 20 children and 500 adults die each year from asthma.

In 2006, survey results of Canadian asthma patients revealed that asthma control has not improved since the last large Canadian asthma survey published in 2001. Poorly managed asthma remains a widespread problem in Canada. According to the survey, 97% of the patients thought that they had controlled asthma when in fact only 47% had controlled disease according to guideline criteria.