Community News & Updates

The Pandemic Canadian Autism Needs Assessment Survey and attached report was developed from a partnership between Autism Speaks Canada, the McMaster Autism Research Team (MacART) and the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance (CASDA). This partnership was built on a strong history of successful collaborations, and common guiding principles.

By coming together, we hope to achieve 3 shared goals:

• To provide a mechanism (the survey) for Autistic people and their families to share their experiences of how they have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To inform service organizations of what services and supports are most needed and helpful for Autistic people and families during this time.
• To inform government of the need for increased supports for the autism community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and future emergency situations.

Our survey was the first survey of the COVID-19 pandemic capturing the unique impact on the autism community in Canada. We are proud to have had 1,066 Canadians take part with 21% of respondents identifying as autistic.

Overall respondents shared:

• Mental health implication of the pandemic
• Impacts on their daily lives
• Information about accessing supports and services

We are grateful to the dedicated participants of the respondents and for their input during these unprecedented times as we strive to amplify their voices.

Read the report here.