Join us for our first of four educational sessions with the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights.

After this session, you will be able to identify some of the most common issues faced by tenants and know where to go for help. Issues discussed include rent increases, maintenance issues, guests, privacy, and other issues.

One of the first steps in financial planning for a person with a disability is applying for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC). The DTC helps reduce the amount of tax an individual or their caregiver will have to pay, and opens the door to other valuable credits and programs, including the new Canada Disability Benefit which will start paying in 2025. This webcast will provide critical information on applying for and using the DTC.

Tune in to learn more about the Disability Tax Credit and application process.

The webcast includes a live Q&A with the panelists.

Join DSO Housing Navigators as we welcome representatives from Canada Revenue Agency for a free virtual presentation.

Join DSO Housing Navigation Toronto for a free, virtual presentation on various types of affordable and rent geared to income housing options available to individuals with low to moderate income.

Join DSO Housing Navigators as we welcome representatives from Employment and Social Development Canada for a free virtual presentation.

Join us for an insightful panel discussion celebrating the intelligence, resilience, and determination of individuals who communicate by spelling.

Many non-speakers face significant barriers to fully expressing themselves, yet through alternative communication methods, they are reclaiming their voices and sharing their stories. This discussion will explore the empowering yet challenging journey of being heard, understood, and included, featuring firsthand experiences from non-speaking individuals and insights from advocates and experts. Together, we will highlight the importance of breaking barriers and fostering inclusion.

Xenia Concerts in thrilled to welcome Bruce Petherick to the Xenia stage! Bruce is a Vancouver-based autistic advocate who has also composed and performed music throughout the world for the last 40 years.

Listen however you’re most comfortable (e.g., sitting, lying down, or moving around) while Bruce plays a combination of his original works for solo piano and his own interpretations of popular pieces.

Location: Meridian Hall (formerly Sony Centre) 1 Front St E

Hosted by Maxine Share, this is a support group for parents who have been diagnosed with autism or who suspect they may be autistic. This is a safe and confidential space.

This group is for autistic parents (no official diagnosis is required) who are raising autistic and/or non-autistic children.

Participants will have the opportunity to connect with others, have coffee, and play board games on Thursday mornings.

This is a free event for autistic adults (ages 18+) who do not require 1:1 support (individual support is not provided; there will be two staff present to sign participants in and stay for the duration of the event).

Join Autism Ontario at The Chef Upstairs Midtown location for a fun and interactive cooking class for autistic adults.

Adults on the spectrum will enjoy a hands-on experience to learn new recipes, cuisines, and techniques in a social and welcoming environment.

Join Autism Ontario and BAMDANCE for an all-ages dance party at Beaches Sandbox Community Centre in the heart of the Toronto Beaches neighborhood.

Bust A Move Dance is an international organization running dance classes for kids, teens, and adults with disabilities. We’ll learn dance moves that feel accessible for any mover.

Please note there will be music playing. Please bring noise-cancelling headphones as required.

Join Autism Ontario and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority at Downsview Hub for this Art in the Park program.

Learn painting techniques while immersed in the unique beauty of Downsview Park! Participants will be guided in customizing their own canvas tote bag with painted illustrations of flowers and plants native to Southern Ontario.

We’ll enjoy a short hike through Downsview Park’s meadows and forests, as well as gain inspiration from nature to create our own works of art. 

Autistic youth ages 16+ and adults, join Autism Ontario for a Silent Disco at Beaches Sandbox Community Centre in the heart of the Toronto Beaches neighborhood.

Our headphones will immediately tune you into the fun of a full sensory audio experience!

You’ll hear audio in a more personalized setting. Instead of the traditional loudspeaker/PA system in a live music setting, all guests wear a pair of specialty RF wireless headphones.

Registration opens February 19 at 2:00 pm

Come out and meet some new friends or reconnect with some old ones! Autistic youth and adults (ages 16+) are invited to join us for an Italian-themed cooking class.

This program will allow autistic adults to participate in a hands-on cooking lesson, socially interact with others, and build their confidence while learning to cook a meal they can prepare all on their own. We will make homemade pizza (dough and sauce from scratch), Caesar salad, and tiramisu.

The cooking class will consist of an introduction, cooking, and eating the meal we prepared together.

Autistic adults (ages 18+) are invited to come out for a fun evening of board games and pizza!

Various board games will be played as a group, allowing for social opportunities to meet other adults in your community. We invite you to bring your favourite board game!

The Right Fit For You program is a 12-week online workshop program targeted to support the Greater Toronto Area, including York Region and Peel Region  youth with disabilities and/or complex barriers to employment. The program is available at no cost to eligible youth. 

The Right Fit For You program offers the following:

• Social Worker/Facilitator on the RFY team will provide clients with assistance, knowledge, and tools to use in order to benefit Clients in improving their employment goals while staying healthy on their journey to employment.
• Small group sessions (around 10 participants) in addition to individual sessions with a social worker for RFY clients moving through their pathway to economic stability as well as providing relevant referrals to additional support services they may need.
• Clients will be paid a stipend equal to minimum wage according to attendance.
• Skills training, mentoring, coaching, work experience placement, and follow-up support.
• Youth will acquire the skills and learning experiences, and opportunities they need to find and maintain employment.

Eligibility:

• Between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusive).
• A Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a protected person as defined by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
• Legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial/territorial legislation and regulations.
• Self-identify as having a disability.
• Must be a resident of York, Peel, or Toronto Regions; however, priority goes to York or Peel.

Project NextGen is a free employment skills development program offered by the City of Vaughan and funded by the Ontario Government EnAbling Change Program. This initiative is designed to prepare youth and young adults with disabilities for meaningful employment in recreational roles.

Through this program, the participants will:

• Gain practical skills through hands-on training.
• Build job readiness in a supportive, inclusive environment.
• Enhance employment prospects in the recreation sector.
• Unlock the opportunity for an eight-week placement at a Vaughan community centre upon program completion.

To qualify, candidates must:

• Be between 16 and 24 years old.
• Be a graduate or current student of a YRDSB or YCDSB school.
• Be referred by a teacher or caseworker (if connected with a community service organization).
• Commit to attending the full program and placement duration.
• Be independent and have access to a computer and internet.
• Have basic literacy, computer and communication skills, with the ability to follow directions and complete tasks independently.

For more information about Project NextGen, including application details and forms, contact inclusion@vaughan.ca.

Application deadline: February 14, 2025

Are you an autistic young adult living in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)? We want to hear about your experiences with public transit!

Our research team is conducting a study to explore the transportation barriers and supports autistic individuals face while navigating the GTA. Your insights can help improve accessibility and inform better transit policies across Ontario.

Who can participate?

• Autistic individuals aged 18–35.
• Must reside in the GTA.
• Have access to and experience using public transit.
• Have a phone.

What’s in it for you?

• Receive a $50 gift card per session (up to $150 for completing all 3 sessions).

What’s involved?

• Participate in interviews and photography sessions to share your transit experiences.

When?

• Recruitment ends in April. We’re looking for 8 - 11 more participants!

Why this matters?

Your feedback will shape academic articles, policy briefs, and presentations to improve public transit for autistic adults in Ontario. We’re working with organizations like the TTC, Metrolinx, Autism Alliance, and Mobilizing Justice to make a difference.

All five episodes of the Honest Conversations podcast series are now available to stream! This series dives into the key pillars of Canada’s Autism Strategy, featuring insightful discussions with experts, advocates, and community leaders on topics such as screening and diagnosis, economic inclusion, and public awareness. 

“Honest Conversations” is available wherever you listen to your podcasts!

This study seeks to understand the barriers and facilitators of workplace inclusion and wellbeing for autistic human services workers in Canada and the United States. It is the first large-scale study to examine these topics, thus the results will offer new knowledge and most importantly inform efforts to promote the inclusion of autistic human services workers.

This online survey will take approximately 30 minutes to complete, and eligible participants will receive a $10 gift card.

About the Researcher (A note from Sarah Southey):

As a PhD Candidate in Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University and a clinician specializing for 15 years in autistic employment issues, I understand the challenges of workplace inclusion/exclusion. Further, as a non-autistic person researching autism, I was able to round out my understanding of the topic by testing and reshaping the survey based on feedback from nine autistic colleagues.

Please click the button below to learn more about the study and access the screening questionnaire.

The Plan Institute are thrilled to announce the expansion of their Disability Planning Helpline.

We are offering additional one-on-one support to guide you through every step of the DTC application process. This includes support with "Part A" and "Part B" of the DTC application form, such as providing sample language, reviewing paperwork, and preparing a letter to take to a medical practitioner.

What began as free legal services for low-income residents of Windsor-Essex and the GTA living with an intellectual disability, the "I Decide Law Program" has now grown into a province-wide, pro bono initiative.

Pooran Law advocates for the decision-making rights of people who have intellectual disabilities. Through legal education and direct services, they aim to promote self-directed decisions and future planning.

Services include:

• Decision-making rights
• Making Powers of Attorney
• Challenging Guardianship
• Consent and capacity for healthcare treatment
• Preventing and reporting abuse and exploitation (including financial abuse and human trafficking)
• Person-directed planning
• Reduced rates on Wills
• Legal education training sessions

How would you feel if you had no say in where you live, who you spend time with, what you wear, what you eat, who you visit, or what you can spend your money on?

That’s what can happen to people with disabilities when someone else has the power to make choices and decisions for them. We believe that everyone has the right to make choices, and we always assume that a person can make their own decisions.

Supported decision-making is a way that people with disabilities can make their own decisions and stay in charge of their lives, while getting the help they need to do so.