Autism Program

• Ontario autism program gets $60M boost; advocates say many kids still in need

  Ontario is boosting its funding for autism services by $60 million over 2023. While advocates say the money is welcome, thousands of kids will still be unable to access therapy.

  Politics

  Mar 30, 2024
  
• B.C. parents take anger over autism program changes to Victoria

  Parents and advocates say the proposed move to a "hub" model, rather than direct funding to families, will leave kids with autism facing long wait lists and reduced services.

  Health

  Nov 25, 2021
  
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• Parents burst into tears as Ontario government reveals autism program faces another delay

  Minister Todd Smith announced that a needs-based Ontario Autism Program will be phased in over two years, instead of being up and running in April as previously promised.

  Politics

  Dec 17, 2019
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• ‘None of us saw this coming’; parents rally to save autism program in Kelowna

  Last week, the Starbright Children's Development Centre announced that due to funding pressures, its autism program will be cut in December.

  Nov 26, 2019
• Children’s development centre in Kelowna says its autism program is closing due to funding pressures

  The Starbright Children’s Development Centre posted the announcement on its Facebook page, stating its autism program will end on Dec. 20.

  Nov 21, 2019
• Ford government backs off changes to autism funding plan

  In a release, the Ontario government said it was instead charging its autism expert panel to consider what a “new needs-based and sustainable autism program would look like.”

  Politics

  Jul 29, 2019
• KidsAbility to lay off 50 per cent off autism staff in response to Ontario funding changes

  KidsAbility announced Thursday that provincial government changes will force it to lay off 50 per cent of its staff at the beginning of next year.

  Politics

  Jul 25, 2019
• Integrity commissioner says alleged comments by MacLeod don’t violate Members’ Integrity Act

  Ontario's integrity commissioner says there are insufficient grounds to conduct an inquiry into alleged Lisa MacLeod comment.

  Canada

  May 23, 2019
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• Parents of children with autism call for Lisa MacLeod’s resignation during emotional telephone town hall

  On Thursday, one of a number of telephone town halls took place where experts, stakeholders and parents weighed in with personal anecdotes, comments and suggestions on how the program should be revised.

  Canada

  May 17, 2019
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• Ontario students walk out of class over education changes

  School boards and teachers unions have warned that the government's planned increase in class sizes will result in thousands of teaching positions being lost over the four years that change is phased in.

  Education

  Apr 4, 2019