Become a Member

All individuals on the autism spectrum are welcome! We adjust our level of support based on the needs of each participant.

• For individuals under 13 years of age
  An official autism diagnosis is required.
• For individuals aged 13 and older
  A formal autism diagnosis is NOT required. Individuals aged 13 and up can self-identify.
• For individuals under 3 years of age
  Children under the age of 3 are welcome to attend our Family Experiences which are open to all ages!
  

Individuals and families wishing to access our in-person programs must live in British Columbia, Canada. If you do not live in BC and are interested in accessing our virtual programs, please email [email protected].

The diagnosis must be a physician-signed document that clearly states that the individual is on the autism spectrum. The documentation may include the original assessment (the first and final two pages of the assessment usually meet the requirements) or a physician/psychiatrist signed note.

If you or the individual you are signing up is over the age of 13, formal documentation is not required to complete your membership application.

These photos help us identify individuals in programs/events and are used for internal purposes only.  Images of yourself and/or your child will not be shared publicly.

The $25 annual membership fee can be paid through autism funding providing by the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD).

We also accept the following payments:

1. Credit card through the online CAN membership account
2. Cheque, mailed to the CAN office (1788 West 8th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6J 1V6)
3. Cash at the CAN office (1788 West 8th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6J 1V6)

If a program fee is a barrier for you or your family, we encourage you to submit a request for fee reduction or waiver through our Fee Assistance Program. Please e-mail [email protected] for more information.

Once you have created an online account, make sure you check the box to opt-in to our monthly newsletters.

The CAN newsletter is typically sent out in the first week of each month and includes important information about upcoming programs and registration dates, events, and calendar reminders.

Tip! Add [email protected] to your email contacts/safe senders list to ensure CAN newsletters do not land in your junk inboxes.

If you are not receiving our monthly newsletters, subscribe here or email [email protected].

Our seasonal program guides contain program dates, times, locations, and registration periods for the upcoming season.

Program Guides will be published in the following months:

• 1st week of August for programs in the Fall (Sep-Dec)
• 1st week of November for programs in the Winter (Jan-Apr)
• 1st week of February for programs in the Spring (Apr-Jun)
• 1st week of May for programs in the Summer (Jul-Aug)

Don’t miss out on the release of our quarterly program guides! Subscribe to our newsletter >>

To browse the latest program guide, visit: canucksautism.ca/guide

Key registration periods for the 2022/23 season take place:

• For weekly programs from January – March (Winter)
  Monday, November 21 at noon – Sunday, November 27 at 11:59pm
  Set a reminder in your calendar >>
• For weekly programs from April – June (Spring)
  Monday, February 20 at noon – Sunday, February 26 at 11:59pm
  Set a reminder in your calendar >> 
• For weekly programs from July – August (Summer)
  Monday, May 15 at noon – Sunday, May 21 at 11:59pm
  Set a reminder in your calendar >> 

At times, last minute programs get added that fall outside our seasonal program registration dates.

Visit the Registration Portal to see if there are programs or opportunities that are:

1. opening for registration or currently open for registration,
2. accepting late registration requests,
3. or open to non-members

The Registration Portal also houses important resources, FAQs, and tutorials for CAN members.

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn! Our channels are regularly updated to inform members about upcoming programs & registration dates.

When registration opens, login to your online account during the registration period to submit a registration request.

Need support? Watch this step-by-step video tutorial:

The majority of our programs use a registration process called Pending Enrolment. This means that spots are NOT provided on a first-come, first-served basis, and that requests received are pending confirmation. Each program request immediately goes to Pending status.

Those who submit registration requests during the online registration period will be notified of their updated registration status (either Confirmed or Waitlisted) within 1-2 weeks after registration closes.

The Pending Enrolment registration process is used so that we can accommodate as many unique individuals into CAN programs throughout the year as possible. It also allows for more participants to have the opportunity to try new programs and activities.

After the registration period closes, we review all requests received, make enrolment decisions, and follow up with all participants within 1-2 weeks after registration closes.

To learn about how enrolment decisions are made, read “We Heard You: Who Gets Into Programs?

After registration closes, participants may submit a late registration request at canucksautism.ca/late and they will be put on the waitlist for the program.

Requests will be addressed in the order that they are received.

If you are experiencing difficulties with the online registration process, please see our Frequently Asked Questions – Registration.

If you still cannot find the answer you are looking for, please contact the office by email at [email protected], or by phone at 604-685-4049. Our helpful team will be able to look into the issues that you are experiencing, and help answer your questions.

Canucks Autism Network delivers in-person programs across the Lower Mainland, Kamloops, Kelowna, Victoria, and Nanaimo. Virtual programs are also available across BC! All program locations, dates, and times, are available in our seasonal program guides.

We are always looking to increase our impact across the province. When we enter new communities, we consider the following criteria:

• The number of individuals on the autism spectrum and their families in the area
• Potential support from community partners (e.g., recreation centres who are able to host the program, organizations interested in partnering with us to deliver the program)
• Local donor or funding support
• Availability of staff and volunteers
• Other similar programs that are already being offered in the region

CAN offers virtual programs for individuals on the autism spectrum that can be accessed from anywhere within the province.

Training opportunities are also available across British Columbia. Our training efforts allows us to increase community capacity to support individuals on the spectrum.

Some programs require members to pay a highly subsidized fee as a means to ensure program sustainability. Along with traditional payment options, we accept Autism Funding and sporting grants, including JumpStart and KidSport.

At Canucks Autism Network, we value accessibility and strive to eliminate financial barriers to program participation. If a program fee is a barrier for you or your family, we encourage you to submit a request for fee reduction or waiver through our Fee Assistance Program. Please e-mail [email protected] for more information.

Since its inception in 2008, Canucks Autism Network has been dedicated to providing programs that have been specifically designed and adapted for individuals on the autism spectrum. In addition, much of the funding we receive is specific to autism programming.

Absolutely! We welcome individuals across the autism spectrum and utilize a variety of strategies and a range of supports including visual schedules, first-then boards, token systems and social stories, to ensure that every participant is successful on their own terms. We can also adjust our ratio of staffing to ensure that your child is well supported.

Of course. Be assured that with parent collaboration and open communication, our experienced support team and highly trained staff are equipped to manage many types of challenging behaviours.

Most programs are catered to the following age groups:

• Early Years: Ages 3-6
• Children: Ages 7-12
• Youth: Ages 13-17
• Adults: Ages 18+

One of the most common barriers that Autistic youth and adults face is the need for a formal autism diagnosis to access supports. In talking with CAN members and the broader autism community, many themes have emerged as potential barriers to formal diagnosis including cost, access to a professional who is qualified to provide a diagnosis, fear of not being believed, and other challenges navigating the healthcare system.

For the above reasons, CAN will no longer be requiring a formal diagnosis for individuals over 13 years of age who are interested in accessing any program or service provided by CAN. This important decision to increase accessibility has already been met with enthusiasm from our CAN community.

Learn more >> 

Registration decisions are based on a variety of factors including the overall demand for a program, a participant’s registration history, and a family’s ability to access programming.

Demand for most programs is quite high, therefore, participants will not be accommodated into every program they wish to attend. At Canucks Autism Network, our goal is to accommodate as many unique individuals into programs as possible, and registration decisions are made with this objective in mind.

If you are experiencing difficulties with the online registration process, please see our Frequently Asked Questions – Registration.

If you still cannot find the answer you are looking for, please contact the office by email at [email protected], or by phone at 604-685-4049. Our helpful team will be able to look into the issues that you are experiencing, and help answer your questions.

We do our best to accommodate all requests, however, we ask that families be flexible. Participants are placed into specific time slots in order to accommodate as many unique individuals as possible. Families are welcome to request a program time change by emailing [email protected], however, not all requests will be accommodated.

At times, Vancouver Canucks players may be present at CAN programs or events, however, we ask that families allow the players to participate in the activity and do not ask for photos or autographs.

Although our founders are the co-owners of the Vancouver Canucks, we are a non-profit organization and a separate entity from Canucks Sports and Entertainment (CSE).

Occasionally, we will receive complimentary tickets to games. They are offered to members on a case-by-case basis. For example, we may offer them first to members who have recently been waitlisted for a program.