OTTAWA — Canada is seeing a dramatic rise in autism diagnoses, with rates among children and youth now at 2.25%, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s first-ever national data compilation. Federal officials say they cannot explain the surge but warn it signals growing demand for support programs.Blacklock's Reporter says the report, Understanding Autism Data in the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System, shows prevalence estimates climbing from 0.14% in 2001 to 2.25% in 2024. Newly identified cases rose from 35 per 100,000 children and youth in 2001 to 365 per 100,000 in 2024. “Several factors may have played a role in the overall rise, such as increased awareness, expanded diagnostic criteria, and guidelines promoting early detection,” the agency said..“The specific factors and extent of their contribution remain unknown.”Rates vary across the country, with the lowest in Saskatchewan at 1.3% and the highest in Prince Edward Island at 3%. New case rates in 2024 ranged from 260 per 100,000 in Nova Scotia to 551 per 100,000 in British Columbia. All provinces and territories showed increases over time, though differences in recordkeeping make comparisons difficult.Federal authorities continue to dismiss claims linking autism to childhood vaccines or medications. .The agency reiterated that no credible evidence connects preventive vaccines or the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy to autism, referencing the discredited 1998 Lancet study by Dr. Anthony Wakefield, which was retracted and led to the author losing his medical licence.The Public Health Agency called the national data “a valuable opportunity to address longstanding data gaps” and emphasized that the rising rates point to urgent needs for programs and services to support autistic children and youth.
