Welcome to the discussion

As you know, we are a national alliance working together for the rights of Autistic people and their families. Twice a month, we reach out exclusively to our members to share content relating to priority issues that Autistic persons and their loved ones face across the lifespan. 

In this newsletter, we share about the development of the National Autism Strategy, as well as issues of interest for the Autistic community in Canada. We also highlight current events, research initiatives, opportunities to engage, as well as projects from our members.

We are delighted to share that our CALS2023 Impact Report, is now available!

This report outlines the reach and impact of the 9th Annual Canadian Autism Leadership Summit (CALS2023), hosted in April 2023, and highlights the remarkable success and significance of this event for our members and the Autistic community.

With over 250 attendees from across Canada and around the world, CALS2023 brought together the collective voices of Autistic self-advocates, service providers, policymakers, government representatives and international thought leaders in support of Canada’s first ever National Autism Strategy.

Save the Date for the 10th Annual Canadian Autism Leadership Summit

April 17-19, 2024, Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Ottawa

We are thrilled to announce the dates for the 10th Annual Canadian Autism Leadership Summit (CALS2024), taking place from April 17th to 19th, 2024, at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa.The Summit is the key community event where over 250 Autistic self-advocates, researchers, politicians, service providers, and policy makers from across Canada discuss key policy related topics within the autism community. CALS2024’s overarching goals are encapsulated in our themes: Inform. Implement. Innovate. 

Next April, we aim to:

• Provide updates on the National Autism Strategy and the evolving landscape of national disability policy.

• Guide the effective implementation of a National Autism Strategy, promoting uniform national standards, synchronized messaging, and cross-jurisdictional collaboration.

• Explore promising and emerging practices in priority areas to drive positive change.

Stay tuned as we launch registration in the coming weeks!

Register to Ready, Willing & Able's free webinar

In celebration of Disability Employment Awareness Month, we are pleased to invite you to Ready, Willing and Able's upcoming webinar "Achieving Success Through Inclusive and Competitive Employment." Ready, Willing & Able is a national initiative Autism Alliance of Canada and Inclusion Canada.Taking place on October 24, 2023, at 12PM (ET), this webinar will be led by a diverse panel of experts with firsthand experience as job seekers or working with job seekers. Anyone interested in advancing workplace inclusion is encouraged to attend!This webinar will be particularly valuable for:

• Job seekers on the autism spectrum or with an intellectual disability

• Families, caregivers, support networks and other community members supporting a job seeker in their employment journey.

• Employment agencies looking for more information on how best to support clients.

Sessions will be in English only. A recording of the webinar series will be available in French shortly after. The webinar will include closed captioning and live sign language interpreters. Transcripts will be available for all webinar recordings.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted you and the supports you access?

Autistic adults (18+ years) and caregivers of Autistic children of any age are invited to participate in the 2023 Pandemic Canadian Autism Needs Assessment Survey. This is a survey to better understand the evolving impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on you and the services and supports you access. 

Who is conducting this survey?  

This survey has been developed in partnership with Autistic people, caregivers, Autism Speaks Canada, Autism Alliance of Canada, and McMaster Autism Research Team, with financial contribution from the Public Health Agency of Canada. We are grateful to our collaborators, Fédération Québécoise de l'autisme, Autism Yukon, and Pacific Family Autism Network for their help on this project. 

What is the purpose of the survey?

• To describe the evolving impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Autistic people and on caregivers of Autistic children of any age in Canada. 

• To assess the evolving experiences of autistics and of caregivers of autistic children in Canada regarding autism-related supports and services in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• To inform community organizations and policy makers of current needs reported by the autism community across Canada. 

The survey is scheduled to close on November 13, 2023. If you have any questions, please reach out to PANCANAutism202​3@outlook.com. 

Eviance is seeking participants to complete a survey for their “Innovating for Inclusive & Equitable Post-Secondary Education: A Pathway to Realizing the Sustainable Development Goals” project.

Students who self-identify as having a disability and who are enrolled or were recently enrolled (in the past 5 years) at a university, college, or other post-secondary school. are eligible. Participation will require completing a brief survey (15-20 minutes time commitment). Those who complete the survey will have the chance to win one of fifty $50 Amazon gift cards. 

This project is being conducted in partnership with St. Francis Xavier University (StFX), Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) and OCAD University, and community partners at the ARCH Disability Law Centre, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), and the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS).