Yes. Arvay Finlay LLP is a Vancouver and Victoria-based BC litigation firm known for public law, constitutional, and complex litigation work. The firm prepared the foundational 2022 legal opinion on BC's proposed disability funding changes for the autism community. It's the same opinion that shaped much of the advocacy leading up to today. We engaged them because they already have institutional knowledge of the legal landscape, have worked on BC disability and Autism funding law for many years, and are well-positioned to assess this case efficiently and substantively.

The 2022 opinion analyzed a different model. At that time, the province was proposing to replace Autism Funding with Family Connection Centres (FCCs), a hub-based model that would have delivered services through regional centres. That model was later shelved.

What the province has now implemented is a fundamentally different framework: the Children and Youth Disability Benefit and Disability Supplement, with a Direct Admit Pathway, an eight-domain eligibility framework, a Needs-Based Review process, and federal Disability Tax Credit gating on the Supplement. None of this existed in 2022.

The legal analysis has to be done against what the government has actually built, not against a proposal that was withdrawn. That is why the current opinion is needed.

The legal opinion and case scoping with Arvay Finlay is estimated at $15,000, plus 5% GST (~$750) that applies to legal fees in BC. Total: approximately $15,750.

This covers reviewing the new framework against the Charter, Human Rights Code, and administrative law, assessing the strongest legal grounds available (if any), examining how the criteria affect children across the disability community, and advising on realistic next steps.

The costs include counsel's time, associated disbursements, and a portion of the Freedom of Information work that supports the evidence base for the opinion.

Note on GST: When we launched the campaign, we quoted $15,000 based on counsel's initial estimate. We later realized that estimate did not include GST. We've corrected the number here for full transparency.

Over the next couple of weeks, counsel will review the evidence gathered so far alongside the relevant law, to identify the strongest legal arguments and the expert evidence needed to support them. Whether there is a viable case will depend heavily on that expert evidence.

From there, the aim is to connect with experts in August and finalize the legal opinion in September.

Once counsel delivers the opinion, the organizing group will review it and decide on a path. Options typically include:

• Advocacy amplification: using the opinion to strengthen political and public pressure, meet with MLAs, and build coalition
• Litigation now: filing a Charter challenge, human rights complaint, or judicial review with identified plaintiffs
• Litigation later: waiting for first denial decisions in fall/winter 2026 and filing with individual affected families as plaintiffs
• A combination: advocacy in the short term, litigation preparation running in parallel

The decision will be made based on counsel's recommendation, the evidence available, and the group's capacity. We will be transparent about the direction chosen and the reasoning behind it.

No. The campaign supports legal advice and advocacy. No specific litigation outcome is promised. Decisions about whether and how to pursue legal action will be made on counsel's advice and in consultation with affected families.

No. This is a group started by families of Autistic children, because Autism Funding is the program ending first (March 31, 2027) and Autism families received the first eligibility letters in June 2026. But the new eligibility framework may also affect children and youth living with other disabilities whose support needs do not fit neatly within the Ministry's criteria. We have asked counsel to look at the full picture across the disability community.

No. Fair Autism & Disability Funding BC is not a registered charity, so donations are not tax-deductible. We have made this decision deliberately at this stage. Pursuing legal advice quickly matters more than the time required to obtain charitable status. All contributions support the legal and advocacy work described above.

Any funds raised beyond the legal opinion, GST, FOI, and administrative costs will be held to support continued advocacy and legal action for BC children and youth with disabilities. Full expenditures are recorded and available to donors on request.

Donations are held in a dedicated trust account by one of our lead organizers, on behalf of the future Society. The account is separate from any personal accounts. The arrangement is governed by a written declaration of trust that sets out how the funds can be used, the records that must be kept, and what happens if the Society is not incorporated. If the Society is not incorporated within two years, the trust agreement requires the remaining funds to be transferred to a non-profit or registered charity with similar purposes, and funds are never returned to organizers personally. Records are available to donors on request.

Yes. We will post updates through the GoFundMe campaign, this website, our social media channels, and our Facebook group. Updates will include legal milestones, expense summaries, Society incorporation status, and significant developments in the case.

No. Because this is a live legal matter, the specific details of the opinion won't be made public. We'll share what we can, as authorized by counsel, and keep families updated on the direction and the key milestones along the way.

• Share the campaign with your networks
• Sign our petition
• Follow our social channels for updates
• Join our Facebook group for community discussion
• Share your family's story if you may be affected by these changes
• Contact your MLA and ask them to raise these concerns