My five-year-old daughter is autistic and has global delay. She is physically capable of walking the 50 meters and seeing everything around her. What she is not capable of doing is recognizing the dangers around her. This lack of awareness puts her at significant risk, even though she meets the current physical criteria for a disability parking placard.

Currently, Alberta's requirements for a disability parking placard focus primarily on physical disabilities, excluding many individuals with cognitive disabilities who face substantial safety risks in parking lots and other public spaces. People with autism and other cognitive disabilities may not be able to distinguish potential dangers, making it crucial to extend these requirements.

Including cognitive disabilities in the criteria would provide much-needed support to families like mine, ensuring safer access to public facilities for all individuals who need it. Please sign this petition to urge Alberta's government to update their disability parking placard requirements to include autism and other cognitive disabilities.