The National Music Centre has received a $500,000 five-year commitment from BMO to expand its Music Therapy Initiative, bringing evidence-based music therapy to more hospitals and community health settings across the country. The Jim Pattison Foundation is matching the contribution dollar-for-dollar, doubling the initiative's total funding.

Since 2018, NMC has partnered with JB Music Therapy and the Calgary Health Foundation to deliver music therapy programs across Calgary's five acute care hospitals, supporting patients in intensive care, stroke recovery, burns, mental health, palliative care, and other specialized units. The program received the Health Quality Council of Alberta's 2025 Patient Experience Award.

The initiative has since expanded beyond Alberta. In Saskatchewan, programs are running at the Ranch Ehrlo Society in Regina and the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital NICU in Saskatoon. In Manitoba, a partnership with Riverview Health Centre in Winnipeg supports palliative and long-term care patients. In British Columbia, a pilot at Victoria General Hospital supports patients living with neurological conditions including stroke, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis.

BMO's investment will help expand the initiative into regions where music therapy services are not currently available, with the goal of eventually having programs in every province and territory.