In the Spring Economic Update 2026 earlier this week, the federal government signalled reforms to the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) that align closely with some of the policy solutions Autism Alliance of Canada has put forward alongside our partners.

The proposed changes focus on making the DTC easier to access. For individuals with a formal diagnosis of specific conditions, including “Level 3 autism”, the initial application process will be streamlined. There will be no need for detailed forms about how the condition affects daily functioning at that stage. This means that some diagnostic conditions in and of themselves are now recognized as meeting the disability impact criteria.

The government is also expanding which health professionals can complete DTC applications, including broader roles for physiotherapists, speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, and others. In addition, public guardians and trustees, recognized at the provincial and territorial level, will be able to certify eligibility for some adults in their care. These changes will reduce paperwork, speed up application timelines, and make it easier for more people to qualify using existing information.

This is a shift in approach. For years, our members (individuals, families, and clinicians) have faced unnecessary administrative burden and repeated reassessments to access and apply for the DTC and the supports linked to it.

Autism Alliance of Canada has played a central role in advancing these changes. Since 2019, we have designed solutions to reform the DTC and raised them with government through formal submissions and engagement with decision makers across government. We have contributed through leadership on the Minister’s Disability Advisory Committee at the CRA. These priorities have also been reinforced through our 2025 Federal Election Policy Solutions Toolkit, 2025 Pre-Budget Consultation Submission and refined in our Fall 2025 Policy Pulse brief. Throughout, we have worked in coordination with members and partners to ensure consistent, evidence-informed based recommendations grounded in lived experience.

This is an important step, but it is not the endpoint. Further reforms are expected, and implementation details will be critical. Through our pre-budget submission this year and other opportunities, Autism Alliance of Canada and our members will continue to work alongside partners and government to advance the next phase of improvements and ensure these changes translate into consistent, long term impact for the community.