British Columbia’s incoming premier promises to keep autism funding for at least another year

British Columbia’s incoming Conservative government has promised to keep the province’s Autism Funding Program going for at least one more year, according to the Philippine Canadian Inquirer. The promise has not taken effect yet, though. Families of autistic children still don’t know when it will start or how it will work.

What was promised

The Inquirer reports that Lorne Doerkson, who is due to become premier, made the promise in a written reply to Fair Autism & Disability Funding BC Society on 18 October. The society is an advocacy group run by parents. His reply came before the provincial election on 24 October.

According to the report, Doerkson said a Conservative government would keep the program running for at least a year under its current rules. Children who already get funding would keep it. Children diagnosed after the election would be able to apply on the same terms.

The Conservatives also promised to review the planned switch to the BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit and Disability Supplement. The Inquirer says the review is meant to deal with worries that some families could lose financial help when the system changes.

Why the switch worries families

The previous BC NDP government planned to replace the Autism Funding Program with a wider disability support system. That system would give help based on a child’s support needs, not on an autism diagnosis alone. Under the province’s published timetable, autism funding is due to end on 31 March 2027.

The Inquirer says the current program helps eligible families pay for services such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and behavioural support. Some families are unsure whether they would qualify under the new system, or whether it would pay for the services their children use now.

The Conservatives won the October election. A separate Inquirer report on Doerkson’s priorities says the win ended nine years of BC NDP government. That report also says he had not been sworn in yet, and that his plans would need further government decisions before taking effect.

The questions families are asking

The Inquirer reports that the parents’ society welcomed the written promise but still has questions. It wants to know:

• whether families who qualify for the new Disability Benefit and Supplement will keep getting that help, including families of children with disabilities other than autism
• when the one-year extension would begin
• whether the review would be finished before the extended program runs out

The group said no official change to the funding timetable had been announced as of 27 October. The Inquirer also reports that the Ministry of Children and Family Development has postponed information sessions about the new disability benefits.

What happens next

For now, the program’s published end date is still 31 March 2027. To extend it, the new government would have to confirm a new timetable and explain what it means for families already in the program and for new applicants. Families are also waiting for details of the promised review. Until anything is announced, the program carries on under its current rules.

We could only find this story in the Philippine Canadian Inquirer. We have not been able to check it against other news outlets or official British Columbia government pages.

This piece summarises reporting by the Philippine Canadian Inquirer. Read the original articles for the full story.