About Autism / Legislation and Policies to support Autism / Disability Act Canada

Disability Act

 

  • The purpose of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) 2019 is to make Canada barrier-free country by 2040 for all Canadians, especially persons with disabilities.
  • In the Act, disability means any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment — or a functional limitation — whether permanent, temporary or episodic in nature, or evident or not, that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society.
  • The Act defines barrier as "anything—including anything physical, architectural, technological or attitudinal, anything that is based on information or communications or anything that is the result of a policy or a practice—that hinders the full and equal participation in society of persons with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment or a functional limitation.

 

 

Purpose Of Accessible Canada Act

 

  • This act identifies, removes and prevents barriers to accessibility in the following 7 priority areas:
    • employment
    • the built environment (buildings and public spaces)
    • information and communication technologies
    • communication, other than information and communication technologies
    • the procurement of goods, services and facilities
    • the design and delivery of programs and services, and
    • transportation (airlines, as well as rail, road and marine transportation providers that cross provincial or international borders)
  • Communication, as a priority area, includes the use of:
    • American Sign Language
    • Quebec Sign Language (Langue des signes quĂ©bĂ©coise), and
    • Indigenous sign languages
    • The Act recognizes these sign languages as the primary languages of Deaf people in Canada.
  • The ACA is applicable to a wide range of entities regulated by the government, for example:
    • Industry sectors such as banking, telecommunications and transportation
    • Government of Canada departments and agencies
    • Parliament
    • Crown corporations
    • Canadian Armed Forces
    • Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and
    • First Nations band councils

 

 

Current Federal Initiatives

 

  • Autism and Intellectual Disabilities Knowledge Exchange Network (AIDE Canada): This network provides access to following resources to people on the autism spectrum, their families and caregivers access to:
    • Online resources
    • Local programming
    • Employment opportunities
    • An inventory of services and supports
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder Strategic Fund:
  • This fund provides $9.1 million over 5 years for community-based projects that supports people in the autism community by:
    • addressing needs across a person's life
    • integrating health, social and educational components
    • pursuing innovative and community-based program models
    • focusing on times of transition from youth to adult and from adult to senior
  • Employment and Social Development Canada: The initiatives of this groups enables accessibility to funds and supports Social Development Partnerships program

 

 

National Autism Strategy

 

  • The Government of Canada is creating a national strategy for autism by working with Autistic people, families, provinces, territories, and stakeholders
  • The bill for this strategy is undergoing the Government’s review ( BILL S-203 )