Autism Ontario extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of the Honourable David C. Onley, 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

We remember Mr. Onley, who served as Lieutenant Governor from 2007 to 2014, as a fierce advocate for the rights of people with disabilities and an example to all who had the great privilege of meeting him. As Vice-Regal Patron of Autism Ontario, he was present at many of Autism Ontario’s events during his tenure and always brought with him a deep personal interest that created a lasting connection with those around him.

Prior to his vice-regal duties, Mr. Onley was a broadcaster and published author. He became a television reporter at a time when people with disabilities were not routinely in the public eye, and through his example, did much to advance the cause of people with disabilities.

Out of office, he was responsible for the 2019 review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), which found that the province was still “mostly inaccessible” and had a long way to go before the stated goal of making the province fully accessible by 2025. He also served as a member of the Accessibility Standards Advisory Council and as a member of the accessibility councils for the Rogers Centre and the Air Canada Centre.

The David C. Onley Award for Leadership in Accessibility was established in his honour in 2014.

Ladom Ensemble combines piano, cello, accordion, and percussion in a unique blend of acoustic chamber and world music that is passionate, sophisticated, and wild.

Their all-original repertoire incorporates inspirations from Argentinean tango, Serbian folk and dance traditions, Persian classical repertoire, as well as music from the Classical (Bach, Prokofiev), and progressive rock worlds (Radiohead). Ladom doesn’t pretend to represent any one tradition but rather expresses an authentically Canadian fusion.

This concert is designed to be autism- and neurodiversity-friendly, and Meridian Hall is a wheelchair-accessible venue. Bring the whole family! Xenia Concerts welcomes all listeners.

Spend your Family Day with Autism Ontario and Roxanne from Live, Love, Life Music for a fun, musical experience for the entire family!

Only one registration is required per household. The fun will take place over Zoom. Families will receive their link prior to the event.

Join JoJo Fun and her friends as they put on a wonderful magic show. This is an hour-long, interactive show great for the whole family.

In order to participate in this event, you will need to be able to access the ZOOM platform; a link will be emailed to all registered participants the day before the event.

Registration opens February 15 at 10:00am

The Circle’s mission is simple; To provide a safe and understanding environment where mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and any caregiver to a black individual on the spectrum can share their journey of supporting their child.

The shape and structure of the circle are fluid, shifting, and flowing to accommodate the group's needs on that particular day. Through compassion, laughter, and tears, group members share, listen, and give advice. Some members were born in Canada, some have lived here for many years, and some are newcomers just starting their journey.

Within the circle, members celebrate successes, listen empathetically to challenges, and give each other permission to release themselves from the double duty of explaining the nuances of their shared experiences.

Host: Halimo Hashi, M.S.W.R.S.W,

Join us each month to meet with other moms, female caregivers, and transgender/non-binary folks. This casual setting allows you to socialize, share your experiences, or simply sit back and listen.

Autism Ontario staff will facilitate group activities.

Join us each month to meet with other dads, male caregivers, and transgender/non-binary folks. This casual setting allows you to socialize, share your experiences, or simply sit back and listen.

Autism Ontario staff will facilitate group activities.

Registration opens February 13 at 12:00pm

Registered Psychotherapist Heather Sansom, Ph.D., facilitates this six-week support group. Heather was diagnosed on the autism spectrum in her late 40s. As a psychotherapist, she works with autistic clients in both offices and creative/nature/animal-assisted approaches. She identifies positively with neurodiversity, describing her approach as strengths-based.

Many late-diagnosed autistic people have experienced a difficult journey, sometimes including misdiagnosis, anxiety, depression, and other responses to sensory overload, not knowing they were atypical in a neurotypical world. The process of realization, seeking assessment, and diagnosis is often experienced as both world-shaking and relieving.

Autistic people need coping skills to navigate a neurotypical world, manage and reduce meltdowns/ shutdowns, and grow confidence. These sessions will include helpful information and opportunities to share your experience with other atypical peers.

Once registration is complete, participants will remain in a closed group for the series to ensure comfort and privacy. A short survey and a confidential form will be sent to each participant and must be returned by the date provided. This group is not for individuals in a mental health crisis.

Many autistic individuals experience challenges with communication to varying degrees. Many will experience significant challenges with spoken communication, at least sometimes. Other methods of communication may assist the individual in communicating their wants and needs and participating more fully in the environments around them.

These webinars are appropriate for families and caregivers of autistic children, youth, and professionals working with autistic children. 

Part 3: Goal Setting with Tracie Lindblad

Thursday, February 9, 12:30–1:30pm

This session will highlight how to choose functional and meaningful vocabulary to teach with the AAC and how to decide on the specific goals for communication.

Part 4: Introducing and Teaching AAC with Tracie Lindblad

Wednesday, February 22, 12:30–1:30pm

During this session, participants will learn about teaching methods such as prompting, prompt fading, reinforcement, and creating additional opportunities and motivation to increase practice with the AAC system. An overview of data collection will also be presented to guide progress.

In this webinar, a panel of youth and their caregivers describe the triumphs and challenges with mental health and discuss their experiences accessing healthcare support.

This webinar will draw on a project completed by the POND Network, where youth created digital stories about their experiences with mental health and provided tips on how they would like healthcare professionals to speak to them about their mental health.

Dr. Patrick Jachyra, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at Durham University in the UK and an Affiliate Scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto.

Autism Ontario webinars are an interactive, easy-to-understand resource for autistic people, parents, professionals, and educators.

Are you a Clinical Supervisor of Behavioural Services, Occupational Therapist (OT), or a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) currently providing or interested in providing Ontario Autism Program (OAP) funded services? If so, you might be eligible to join the OAP Provider List!

Parents, caregivers, and autistic youth use the OAP Provider List to search for professionals providing services funded by the Ontario Autism Program. It is recommended that families who use OAP funding work with qualified, experienced professionals who are listed on the OAP Provider List.

These sessions are open to SLPs, OTs, and psychologists with experience in ABA, BCBA-Ds, and BCBAs.

Register for February 8, 12:00–1:00pm

Register for February 21, 7:00–8:00pm

Parents and caregivers will learn ways to support their teenage and young autistic adults as they navigate healthy dating relationships.

The Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) is a made-in-Canada, long-term savings vehicle designed specifically for individuals with disabilities.

What's in it for you:

• An understanding of the RDSP and potential government contributions
• Knowledge of the latest updates and changes to the RDSP
• Tips and advice on free resources that can be consulted for additional information

The webcast will run approximately 45 minutes with time for questions.

Many students on the autism spectrum and who have other developmental disabilities have difficulty sequencing their own behavior during free-choice situations. Rather, they rely on adults to prompt them to engage in particular activities. Many do not interact appropriately with play materials or may select one activity and engage in it for an extended period of time.

Photographic activity schedules have been shown to be an effective tool to teach children to sequence their own behavior and transition smoothly between multiple activities.

Giving Care: An Approach to a Better Caregiving Landscape in Canada is the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence’s first policy whitepaper.

The report aims to ignite a public conversation on the state of caregiving and offer potential policy solutions to address the many challenges and systemic issues experienced by Canada’s 8+ million caregivers and care providers across the country.

What is mindfulness anyway, and what are the benefits to caregivers?

In this episode with Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Sue talks about stress contagion research that shows us that we can “catch” stress from each other and reminds us that we can also spread the feeling of calm with mindfulness practice.

CIRCA, UBC, in collaboration with the BCDA, BCDHA, dental professionals, and autistic advocates, has created a new program designed to assist dental professionals in learning practical strategies to support autistic and neurodivergent clients of all ages in the dental setting. It includes a series of four self-paced, interactive modules filled with useful activities and videos and is available to anyone, anywhere for FREE!

Evaluate a Workplace Disclosure Tool for Autistic Youth and Young Adults

Are you a Canadian youth or young adult on the autism spectrum who is looking for work or has paid work experience? You may be eligible to participate in a new pilot study to evaluate an online autism disclosure decision-aid tool!

Contact vtomas@hollandbloorview.ca for more information. 

If you are a recipient of OAP funding and want to find a local Speech-Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, or Clinical Supervisor of Applied Behaviour Analysis with demonstrated experience working with autistic children and youth, check out the OAP Provider List!

The OAP Provider List is an online listing that Ontario families can use to search for, select, and confirm the qualifications of those providing services funded by the Ontario Autism Program.

During these information sessions, an Autism Ontario Care Coordinator will lead you through the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) reconciliation process. 

We are working with local businesses and shops to provide take home kits. From ceramic painting to birdhouse making, there are lots of choices!

Autism Ontario has established a volunteer panel that will include adult self-advocates from the Central West and Central East regions who can contribute to program development and learning opportunities.