| Formation | 1958 | 
|---|---|
| Merger of | L'institut National Canadien Francis (1972) | 
| Type | non-profit | 
| Registration no. | 10684 2545 RR0001 | 
| Legal status | charity | 
| Headquarters | WeWork | 
| Location | 
  | 
Region   | Canada | 
| Membership | people with intellectual disabilities and their families | 
Official languages   | English / French | 
President  | Robin Action | 
Vice-President  | Moira Wilson | 
| Catherine Frazee | |
| Subsidiaries | 400+ | 
| Affiliations | People First of Canada | 
| Website |  inclusioncanada | 
Formerly called  | Canadian Association for Retarded Children, Canadian Association for the Mentally Retarded, Canadian Association for Community Living | 
Inclusion Canada, formerly the Canadian Association for Community Living, is a non-profit organization founded in 1958 [1] to assist in training and socialization of people with intellectual disabilities, then known as Mental Retardation.
The organization was founded as the "Canadian Association for Retarded Children". [2] In 1969, the name was changed, to "Canadian Association for the Mentally Retarded". The current name was adopted in 1985. [3]
In 1963, the organization established the "Canadian John F. Kennedy Memorial Fund for Retarded Children". [4] The money raised went to the organization and was used to fund research. [5]
A "Canadian Retarded Children's Week" was also established in 1964 for fundraising, to run from May 6 to 16. The theme was "Flowers of Hope". [6] Cosmos seeds were mailed out as a part of fundraising efforts. [7]
The organization was a proponent of Deinstitutionalisation. [8]
There are branches and subbranches in all Canadian provinces. In 1972, "L'institut National Canadien Francis" merged with the organization to provide French-language services. [9]
During the 1970s NBCAMR operated sheltered workshops in Lindsay, New Brunswick, [10] and other small communities. They were later closed when the organizations goals shifted.
The organization was involved in the Infant K case in 1985, [11] the Eve case, [12] [13] and others involving involuntary contraceptive sterilization.
The organization rebranded from the "Canadian Association for Community Living" to Inclusion Canada on September 14, 2020. [14]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization received a $416,883 grant from the Public Health Agency of Canada's Immunization Partnership Fund to increase uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among people with intellectual disabilities and their families. [15]