For Immediate Release
April 10, 2026
(Ottawa) – Next week, Autism Alliance of Canada will convene national leaders at its annual Autism Leadership Summit in Ottawa April 14-16 at the Chateau Laurier, focused on driving progress and accountability in improving supports and services for Autistic people across Canada.
The sold-out Summit will include evidence-based presentations, panels and robust dialogue from those with lived experience, along with Canada’s foremost researchers, policy makers, front-line practitioners and leaders in the field.
Together, the Summit participants will help direct and shape the future of Autism and accessibility policies in Canada.
The Summit also features a full-day symposium on AI and Autism: Innovation for Inclusion, including leaders from IBM Canada, Microsoft Canada and Canada’s top experts in inclusive design and ethical AI. The symposium is designed to build capacity, strengthen ethical understanding and develop practical skills in the application of artificial intelligence across Autism-related fields.
“AI is already here and Autistic people cannot be left behind,” says Dr. Deepa Singal, Scientific Director for Autism Alliance of Canada. “Participants in the one-day symposium will also have the opportunity to earn a Professional Development Certificate, demonstrating their knowledge of the risks, opportunities, real-world uses, and principals of inclusive design and governance needed to advance Autism inclusion in AI,” says Dr. Singal.
Day two of the Summit will focus on national leadership, policy progress and systems transformation. Day three of the Summit will focus on equity, rights and systems change.
Through panels and discussions, participants will explore key priorities shaping the future of Autism in Canada, including equitable system design, research, education and neuro-affirming mental health care, with a strong emphasis on lived experience and community-driven approaches.
Unlike traditional conferences, the Summit is designed as a national convening to inform policy and drive action. “This is a moment to turn commitments into real change,” said Dr. Singal. “Autistic people and their families need systems that are coordinated, accessible, and built to respond to their realities. This will require alignment across governments, sectors and communities to make it happen.”
Key panels and presentations across the three-day Summit include:
- What’s Possible Now? AI Innovations That Support and Empower Autistic People, Families, and Caregivers
- Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: Needs-Based Care, Identity, and the Future of Support Systems
- Equity as Infrastructure: Community-Driven Autism System Design
- Education Future Dialogue: Supporting Autistic Learners Beyond the Now
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Dialogue: Moving the Needle Toward Neuro-Affirming Mental Health Care
See the full three-day speaker list and agenda at: https://autismalliance.ca/cals/summit/cals2026/
For media interviews, contact:
Jonathan Lai, Executive Director, Autism Alliance of Canada
Mobile: 416-579-1746
Email: communications@autismalliance.ca
About the Autism Alliance of Canada:
The Autism Alliance of Canada is a pan-Canadian network with a broad and diverse membership of Autistic people and their families and support persons, as well as clinicians, researchers, policy influencers, service providers and organizations from across Canada. The Canadian Autism Leadership Summit (CALS) is a national platform that brings together Autistic people, community leaders, decision-makers, and researchers to advance solutions that strengthen services, inform public policy, and drive meaningful change in the lives of Autistic people and their families.
For more information, visit: https://autismalliance.ca/
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