Autism Independent Living Association (AiLA) was started in 2014 by Leanne Carr, who has a son with autism, and Michael Frost, an autistic adult. They saw there was a need to establish and support a community where autistic adults could thrive, thus fulfilling their desire to live on their own while also becoming contributing citizens, rooted in their community.

Now a non-profit charitable organization in Edmonton, Alberta, AiLA has been supporting adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) through a number of life-transforming initiatives.

Our flagship endeavor is to build an intentional, supportive housing development for Edmonton’s autistic population. As part of that development, our Resident Council initiative will be one of the supportive services for the residents, along with professional and natural supports.

We organize and host social events, thanks to our Health, Wellness and Social Committee. This committee – led by autistic adults – encourages social connections that help members build meaningful friendships and validate their worth, while offering opportunities for fun and engaging activities

We also support and encourage our members (including board members) with autism to learn new skills. For example, one of our members led our Paint Night fundraiser in May 2024, with the support of the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts. It was a valuable opportunity for him to learn how to teach a group of people to paint a watercolor. Another member is helping with volunteer coordination and planning of events.

In 2023 we launched our crowdfunding campaign, which is dedicated to raising Capital for our developments. We can issue tax receipts for any over $20.00 donation made through the site.

In 2024 we also launched our social enterprise, our totally Autismal CAREmels – small batch, handmade caramels made by our autistic members.

Board of Directors:

AiLA is an autism led, autism focused organization. Our current board is 75% autistic adults, with our autistic adult membership holding 51% of the voting rights. This ensures we keep an autism focus on everything we do.