We, the undersigned residents of British Columbia, urgently call on you to reverse the proposed changes to the Autism Funding Unit (AFU) program. These cuts will have devastating consequences for autistic children and their families across our province.

The proposed changes will:

- Eliminate support for children based on arbitrary "levels" - Many children currently receiving support will lose access entirely because they are deemed "not disabled enough." Families should not have to prove their child is suffering sufficiently to receive help.

- Take away existing support from vulnerable children - Thousands of children who are thriving because of current supports will have those supports ripped away. This will destabilize families, jeopardize children's progress, and create cascading crises in schools, mental health services, and family well-being.

- Impose an outdated, one-dimensional assessment system - The autism community and clinicians have moved away from "levels" because autism is not linear—it's a complex, multidimensional spectrum. A child's support needs cannot be captured by a short assessment and a checklist. Even BC assessors have stopped using levels because they don't reflect the reality of support needs. Why are we moving backwards?

- Force families to navigate fragmented systems alone - Without coordination across health, education, and social services, families are left struggling to piece together support while their children wait.

We demand that the Government of British Columbia:

- Stop plans for any cuts or changes that remove supports from children currently receiving autism funding.

- Maintain stable, long-term funding and provide a base level of support for all disabled children.

- Guarantee timely, publicly funded assessments that lead directly to services and supports.

- Create coordinated collaboration across health, education, and social service systems so families are not navigating alone.

- Use transparent, evidence-based decision-making and release clear plans before changes occur.

- Protect early intervention, ensure equitable access across communities, and commit to genuine inclusion for every child.

These cuts are not just bad policy, they represent a fundamental betrayal of autistic children and disabled people across BC. We will not go backwards.