Canada’s autism strategy
The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the needs of all persons with disabilities in Canada, including people with neurodevelopmental conditions like autism and those who care for them.
Mark Holland, Minister of Health, tabled the Framework for Autism in Canada. The Framework outlines principles and best practices to guide national autism policy, programs and activities in Canada. It leverages the Government of Canada’s leadership role to advance best practices that support autistic people of all ages, their families and caregivers.
The Public Health Agency of Canada also launched Canada’s Autism Strategy. This Strategy is a multi-year action plan that supports federal implementation of the Framework. It outlines federal-specific short- and medium-term initiatives and builds on existing programs and measures to address key priority areas. The Strategy is intended to be updated on a regular basis, as the needs and priorities of people with autism of all ages living in Canada evolve over time.
Through the Federal-Provincial-Territorial working group, these were developed collaboratively with autistic people, their families, caregivers, provinces, territories, Indigenous organizations and other stakeholders. Implementation will require coordinated efforts across governments in Canada, as well as many partners, organizations, and individuals whose work touches on autism-related initiatives. The Government of Canada will continue to work with provinces and territories to advance the needs of Autistic people in Canada.
Lastly, we officially launched the process for the creation of a National Autism Network today. The Network is intended to bring together the skills and resources of autism organizations and stakeholders, including people with living experience, to support the implementation of activities guided by the Framework and Strategy. We invite eligible organizations to respond to the call for applications for the Network by November 25, 2024.
This sets out a vision to improve screening, diagnosis and services across Canada; strengthen economic inclusion; enhance data collection, public health surveillance and research; increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance; and facilitate access to evidence-informed autism resources and tools.
Quotes
“Many individuals and families in the Soo will see positive outcomes from this new strategy. It is a new path forward for assisting people with autism has been crafted with significant input from the autism community, families, and service providers to meet the diverse needs of those affected. It will break down barriers for those who have faced them in the past and open up new avenues of support.”
Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Seniors
“The release of the Framework and Strategy is fundamental to our ongoing collaboration with the autism community to address the complex and diverse needs of Autistic people in Canada. By working together, we can contribute to meaningful and long-term improvements to the health and well-being of Autistic individuals, their families and caregivers.”
The Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health
Quick Facts
Autism (also known as autism spectrum disorder or ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition. Autistic people may communicate and connect with other people differently, have sensory processing differences, or focus intensely on certain interests or activities. Autistic people may also have other physical, intellectual, learning, or mental health conditions which can introduce further complexities and challenges.
It is estimated that 1 in 50 children and youth aged 1 to 17 years have been diagnosed with autism in Canada. The Government of Canada is exploring options to measure and report on autism in adults living in Canada. This information will build the evidence base required to inform public health actions aimed at improving the health and well-being of Autistic people across the life course.
Since 2018, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research have invested approximately $88 million in research on autism. This research is increasing our understanding of autism and guiding the development of innovative tools and more effective ways to support people on the autism spectrum and their families.
Budget 2021 provided PHAC with $15.4 million over two years to work collaboratively with provinces, territories, families and stakeholders toward the creation of an autism strategy.
In 2022, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) published an assessment report on autism highlighting gaps in knowledge regarding the needs and outcomes of Autistic adults, including quality of life, activities of daily living, loneliness, and mental health.
The Framework is aligned with other disability related activities, such as the Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP), which was released on October 7, 2022. The DIAP is a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach to disability inclusion, which embeds disability considerations across Government programs while identifying targeted investments in key areas to drive change.
The National Autism Network will be a non-profit organization, working independently from the Government of Canada to share their skills, knowledge and resources, supporting key autism priorities and providing a forum for ongoing engagement on federal policies and programs. The Network will work directly with provinces and territories on specific initiatives at the provincial/territorial level and coordinate and integrate autism investments, while bringing together the knowledge and experience of local autism organizations, partners and the perspectives of those with living experience. It will also lead targeted national public awareness campaigns and provide sustained, accessible and culturally relevant resources (available online and elsewhere) to support Autistic people in Canada, their families and caregivers.
PHAC hosted two national conferences on autism in November 2022 and August 2024. The first, to bring together people from across Canada to identify potential short-, medium- and long-term priorities for action under an autism strategy and the second, to discuss the Framework’s five priority areas and the actions needed to advance them.
The Federal Framework on Autism Spectrum Disorder Act received Royal Assent on March 30, 2023. This legislation outlines a commitment for the development of a framework designed to support Autistic people in Canada, their families, and caregivers.