WINNIPEG — Manitoba has abandoned plans to focus an impending autism strategy solely on children and will move ahead with a single, provincewide plan that also addresses the needs of adults, Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine announced Friday.
Decision follows public pushback
The government said it will rescind amendments that would have narrowed the scope of the private member’s Autism Strategy Act introduced by Liberal MLA Cindy Lamoureux. Instead, Fontaine said the legislation will be advanced in its original form next week so it applies across the lifespan.
Fontaine told reporters the reversal responds to feedback from the public, including more than 70 emails to her office and plans for a community rally. She said her office had initially concentrated on child‑focused treatment after hearing from families who wanted targeted supports for younger children, but that the feedback made clear adults must be included.
“We’re a listening government and we have heard from folks in the community,”
The Autism Strategy Act, introduced by Lamoureux, would require the development of a provincewide strategy and the tabling of annual progress reports. Lamoureux has stressed that services for those aged 18‑plus were a major part of the bill, saying many people and stakeholder organisations told her there are effectively no services for adults with autism at present.
What the government says and what advocates asked for
Fontaine said the government will now withdraw the narrower amendments and pass the act in its original form. She also indicated the NDP plans to address adult autism needs through its response to the Integrated Adult Services report released in June, noting the two efforts are intended to be complementary.
Advocates and families have repeatedly argued that autism services must span childhood and adulthood because autism is a lifelong condition. Lamoureux emphasised that point in public comments, noting she heard consistently about gaps in supports for adults.
Immediate next steps
The province has committed to bringing the Autism Strategy Act forward for passage next week, according to Fontaine. She said the government will rescind the contested amendments and proceed with an all‑ages approach.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Legislation | Autism Strategy Act (private member’s bill by Cindy Lamoureux) |
| Emails received | More than 70 to the Families Minister's office |
| Related report | Integrated Adult Services report (released in June) |
| Public action | A rally had been planned in response to the narrowed approach |
Community impact and unanswered questions
Families and service providers in Manitoba have long raised concerns about the scarcity of adult autism supports, from diagnostic access and community‑based programming to employment and housing assistance. The move to adopt an all‑ages strategy signals a shift toward addressing those gaps but leaves open practical questions about funding, timelines and concrete service changes.
Fontaine said the government heard from families who wanted the particular needs of children to be prioritised — a factor that prompted the earlier, narrower approach — but made clear the government would now ensure adults are included. The minister also referenced work to respond to recommendations in the province’s Integrated Adult Services review, though she did not provide a detailed implementation schedule while confirming the government’s intention to pass the bill in its original form.
Voices from the province
Lamoureux has framed the bill as a vehicle to require a transparent strategy and annual progress reports. Advocates who spoke with MLAs and families across Manitoba emphasised the urgency of supports for adults, saying that adulthood often brings a steep drop in publicly available services.
- For families: Inclusion of adults in the strategy aims to close service gaps for people aged 18 and older.
- For policymakers: Passage of the act would create a statutory obligation for a provincewide strategy and reporting.
- For service providers: The approach could lead to coordinated planning, but details on funding and rollout remain to be seen.
As the Legislature prepares to consider the bill next week, families and advocacy groups will be watching for concrete commitments on timelines, budgets and how the needs of both children and adults will be balanced within a unified provincial framework.
This report is from Winnipeg.
