AutSecours – l’aide autrement

On January 28, 2026, the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal and Giant Steps officially launched AutSecours — l’aide autrement, a joint pilot project designed to improve the quality and safety of emergency responses involving autistic individuals across Montréal.

This initiative marks a significant step forward in how emergency services can better respond to the needs of autistic people and their families. AutSecours introduces a voluntary, person-centred approach, allowing autistic individuals and their families to share key information—such as communication preferences, sensory sensitivities, and specific support needs—with the SPVM dispatch system. By integrating this information into emergency call handling, police are better equipped to adapt their approach in real time, supporting more respectful, effective, and individualized interventions.

This pilot phase is being carried out with Giant Steps families and adult participants, ensuring lived experience is at the heart of safer, more informed interventions.

The pilot also builds on an established partnership between the SPVM and Giant Steps which includes specialized autism and neurodiversity training for police recruits, as well as immersive learning experiences at the Giant Steps Centre.