Quebec pledges $15M for autism education, research centre in Montreal
Posted August 31, 2021 5:37 pm.
Last Updated August 31, 2021 8:58 pm.
MONTREAL (CityNews) ─ On Tuesday Quebec Education Minster Jean-Francois Roberge announced millions in funding for the creation of the Giant Steps Autism Centre in Montreal − a first of its kind in Canada.
It will help make Quebec a leader in the field of autism education, research, advocacy and community service delivery, and is expected to change the lives of thousands of people living with autism for years to come.
“Fifteen million helping to build this Giant Step Autism Centre, which will provide excellent services to kids but to young adults and adults too and will use the best practices and will share them all across Quebec,” said Roberge.
The number of children diagnosed with autism in Canada is 1 in 66, the prevalence rate increased by 154 per cent in the past ten years.
“That was also why we are not calling it a Giant Steps school anymore – it’s really an autism centre because we want to provide across the lifespan services to meet the needs of people with autism first and foremost, but also their parents and professionals,” added Roberge.
A total of $42 million has been secured for the centre, which will be located in Technopôle Angus in Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie.
The “Take a Giant Step for Autism” campaign is focusing on its final target of raising $10 million.
Construction is set to begin January 2022, with an anticipated move-in date of September 2023.
