After more than a decade of dedicated service in the role of Executive Director at Autism Speaks Canada, Jill Farber has made the difficult decision to step down. “I am grateful for the support and trust the autism community placed in me throughout my tenure. It has been a privilege to serve as Executive Director at Autism Speaks Canada. I look forward to seeing the organization continue to thrive and make a positive impact working with the autism community. While I will miss being part of this incredible organization, I am also excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for it.”   ..read more

Autism Speaks Canada is committed to a clear vision: building an inclusive Canada where autistic people can reach their full potential. We envision a Canada where complete acceptance and inclusion of autistic people, extending — beyond simple awareness — is the societal norm. This vision provides clarity of purpose for Autism Speaks Canada. It fuels and guides our organization every day. It is why we work to support a National Autism Strategy, to make resources accessible, and to increase our understanding of autism. We will continue to collaborate and engage with the community, including tho ..read more

Toronto, Aug 2, 2023 - Autism Speaks Canada, a national charity dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, has awarded over $4.8 million to 198 projects across the country since 2010.   Autism Speaks Canada’s Community Grants are now open for submission. This year, the program has been structured to focus on addressing the social inclusion of autistic Canadians and their caregivers, specifically focusing on physical and emotional safety and community participation. The minimum award for each grant is $15,000 and the maximum award for each gra ..read more

News release Another step towards the implementation of a national autism strategy July 11, 2023 | Richmond, British Columbia | Public Health Agency of Canada Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition. Estimates show that about 1 in 50 children and youth in Canada aged 1 to 17 years has been diagnosed with autism. The Government of Canada is committed to improving the health and well-being of Autistic Canadians of all ages and to supporting families and caregivers. Today, the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, on behalf ..read more

The new project will help expand federated, AI-powered insights across distributed networks of genomics and health data.  Toronto, Ontario — Today, a Canadian consortium led by DNAstack is announcing the launch of a new project to expand the development of a software platform to enable federated, AI-powered insights across networks of genomics and health data. The Canadian Platform for Genomics & Precision Health (CP4GPH) is a $14.5M initiative co-funded by Digital that brings together domain experts with a shared vision to deliver better outcomes for Can ..read more

This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: The post Protected: Meet our Walk Call Centre Team: Mark, Jonathan, and Agathe appeared first on Autism Speaks Canada ..read more

Toronto, Ontario – Autism Ontario, Autism Speaks Canada, and PooranLaw are pleased to share a recent win before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO), upholding the rights of people with disabilities. In NJ v. Granite Club, the respondent, a private family, athletic, and social club in Toronto, was found to have violated the Ontario Human Rights Code by discriminating against Niam Jain – an autistic teenage boy – and failing to provide him with appropriate accommodations. PooranLaw lawyers Faisal Bhabha and Jenna Bontorin represented Niam, along with co-counsel, before the HRTO. Nia ..read more

The study, led by SickKids, sequences the entire genomes of more than 11,000 individuals, offering new insights into the genetics that underlie autism spectrum disorder. Autism Speaks MSSNG database, the world’s largest autism whole-genome dataset, recently provided researchers from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) with access to thousands of sequenced genomes, allowing them to uncover new genes and genetic changes associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the largest autism whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis to date. The findings offer a better understanding into the ‘gen ..read more

Autism Speaks, the global nonprofit dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for the needs of people with autism and their families, today announced $555,850 in grant funding to five researchers studying autism. As a major funder of autism research, Autism Speaks is committed to advancing the study of causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related conditions. “This year’s researchers are tackling projects that deepen our understanding of autism in ways that can improve lives today and deliver more effective, personaliz ..read more

Autism Speaks Canada invites autistic individuals and their families to discover the magic of this holiday season by participating in Sensory Santa experiences, Giving Tuesday, MOVE by GoodLife Kids, and watch Episode 2 of Life on the Spectrum Documentary prompting understanding and acceptance of autistic Canadians. The holiday season is here and to celebrate Autism Speaks Canada is partnering with organizations to provide Sensory Santa experiences, the MOVE by GoodLife Kids activity program, while taking part in the Giving Tuesday global initiative, and launching a brand-new episode of L ..read more