Autism Canada has been the hub of knowledge and understanding about Autism Spectrum Disorder in Canada since 1976.
From the Autism Canada website:
Our mandate is to work collaboratively with our provincial and territorial organizations, associations and societies to champion ASD priorities. We curate the exchange of information between individuals with ASD, families, professionals, researchers, governments and the public. Autism Canada actively encourages the sharing of best practices and programs, and advocates passionately for Canadians living with autism.
Autism Canada is a robust and efficient organization with hope, vision and a commitment to make a real difference for Canadians living with autism and their families. Working together with a Provincial and Territorial Council, made up of autism organizations from coast to coast, we bring national initiatives forward so that our collective voice is heard.
The strategic objectives of Autism Canada focus on changing the future for those living with autism and their families. We are committed to creating and advocating for universal access to the best treatments, services and supports.
Guiding Principles
Autism Canada is committed to adhering to the principles that guided both our founding organizations, Autism Society Canada and Autism Canada Foundation. We believe now, as our founders did then, that there is a real need for Canadians to have a united national voice focusing on the issues that affect individuals living on the spectrum and their families. We achieve this through the amalgamation of our organizations, and the collaboration with our Provincial and Territorial Council members. We are driven, focused and committed to making a difference.
Autism Canada and the Provincial & Territorial Council urge all Canadians to See the Spectrum Differently.
- See the potential in people living with autism.
- See and understand behaviour as a form of communication.
- See and respect the person as an individual first.
- See the opportunity to work together to make a difference.
Our values are simple:
We value the individual.
We value knowledge.
We value collaboration.
We value hope.
Autism Canada is driven by six Strategic Objectives:
1. Be a national knowledge hub.
We will strive to provide current, timely and useful information and direction to families and persons with ASD.
2. Influence public policy at the national level.
Together, with ASD partners across the country, we will take a leadership role to influence public policy at the national level.
3. Facilitate collaboration and sharing among member organizations.
We will work with our Provincial and Territorial Council to provide them with current, timely, and useful information and help them build programming, fundraising and awareness capacity.
4. Build greater capacity and competencies in health care and in other critical sectors such as education, justice & senior care.
We are committed to increasing the knowledge, capacity and competencies of some of the primary sectors with which people on the Spectrum interact over the course of their lives, specifically, health care, education, justice and senior care.
5. Support and promote medical and non-medical research.
We will champion evidence-based research by bringing together researchers from around the world.
6. Ensure financial sustainability.
Our financial sustainability will be enhanced through increased focus on fundraising and targeting relevant grant opportunities from foundations and/or governments.
To learn more about Autism Canada, click here.