91,974
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
Direct answer
Funded residential support in Ontario is accessed through Developmental Services Ontario (DSO). The process includes confirming eligibility, completing the Assessment for Developmental Services, and discussing available support options with DSO. Ontario does not publish system-wide residential wait times; ask your regional DSO about local availability and timing.
Developmental Services Ontario · Verified 2026-08-10
In brief
Key facts
- Access funded residential support through DSO, confirm eligibility, complete the ADS Residential Needs assessment, then wait.
- Ontario does not publish system-wide residential wait times. Ask your regional DSO about local availability and timing.
- Alternatives: Supported Independent Living (own apartment + support visits), host family, family home.
- Funded through DSO/MCCSS via licensed community agencies. Residents contribute ODSP room-and-board; government covers the balance.
Residential support options compared
| Residential option | Support | Typical wait | Independence | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group home (congregate living) | 24/7 on-site support staff | Not published by Ontario | Lower | Shared residence (typically 3–6 adults). Meals, daily living support, community integration, and 24/7 staffing. Operated by licensed community agencies. Funded through DSO/MCCSS. | Regional DSO |
| Supported Independent Living (SIL) | Scheduled support visits | Not published by Ontario | Higher | Own apartment or home; a funded support worker provides scheduled visits (hourly, daily, or as needed). More independence, more self-direction. Good fit for adults with lower 24/7 support needs. | Regional DSO |
| Host family | Live-in family support | Not published by Ontario | Moderate | The autistic adult lives with a trained host family who receives a DSO-funded monthly stipend. Family environment with professional support. Not available everywhere, depends on regional host-family supply. | Regional DSO |
| Family home | Family-provided (unpaid) | N/A (no queue) | Varies | The majority of autistic adults in Ontario live with family due to lack of funded alternatives. Passport funding and respite can support family caregivers, but the underlying caregiving burden falls on parents and siblings. | Regional DSO |
How to access residential support, step by step
All funded residential support in Ontario flows through DSO. There is no direct application to an individual group home or agency, DSO is the intake point.
- Ask DSO about registration timing. The time needed for an eligibility decision varies. Starting early means the residential wait clock can begin as close to the 18th birthday as possible.
- Complete the ADS assessment, including the residential support needs component. Be thorough, the support-needs documentation informs your priority in the queue and the type of placement offered.
- Request residential support placement once DSO eligibility is confirmed. This formally adds you to the residential waitlist. In some regions, you can also express interest in specific types of residential support (SIL vs. group home, or specific agencies/operators).
- Explore alternatives while waiting. Supported Independent Living may have a shorter wait in your region. Passport funding can partially support a family-home arrangement with respite and support worker hours. Talk to your DSO case coordinator about what is available.
- Maintain contact with your DSO coordinator. Circumstances change (support needs increase, a parent becomes unable to provide care). Communicate these changes to DSO, urgent need can affect placement priority.
Residential operators in Ontario
Group homes and supported-living programs are operated by licensed community agencies. You do not choose your provider in advance, DSO matches you to an available placement. However, knowing who operates in your region can help you understand what is available and inform questions you ask your DSO coordinator.
- Kerry's Place Autism Services
- Province-wide, one of Ontario's largest autism-specific providers. Group homes, SIL, and employment services.
- Community Living Ontario
- Provincial federation of local Community Living associations, present in virtually every region. Residential, employment, day programs.
- Reena
- GTA and York Region. Residential, day programs, employment, and cultural services for the Jewish developmental-disability community and others.
- Participation House
- Hamilton and surrounding region. Residential and community services for adults with complex support needs.
- Bethesda
- Niagara Region. Residential, employment, and community programs.
- Azpire Community Services (formerly Geneva Centre)
- GTA. Autism-specific services including transition support and residential planning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Funded residential support in Ontario is accessed through Developmental Services Ontario (DSO). The process includes confirming eligibility, completing the Assessment for Developmental Services, and discussing available support options with DSO. Ontario does not publish system-wide residential wait times; ask your regional DSO about local availability and timing.
Ontario does not publish system-wide wait times for funded residential support. Contact your regional DSO to ask about local availability and timing.
Group homes (congregate living) are one option, not the only option. Alternatives that many families access while waiting or instead of waiting: Supported Independent Living (SIL), the person lives in their own apartment with a funded support worker providing scheduled visits. This model offers more independence and sometimes has a shorter queue than 24/7 group living. Host family arrangement, an autistic adult lives with a trained support family who receives a DSO-funded stipend. Provides a family environment with professional support. Family home, the majority of autistic adults in Ontario continue to live with parents or siblings. Families carry a significant and often invisible caregiving burden in the absence of funded alternatives. Supported living co-operatives, organized by some community agencies, where multiple adults share supports but maintain greater independence.
Group homes are funded through DSO's residential services budget, administered by community agencies that have Service Agreements with MCCSS (Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services). The agency employs support staff and provides daily support. Individual residents may pay a portion of their ODSP income toward room and board. Review the written service agreement and ask the provider which rights and complaint processes apply to the living arrangement.
Rights and complaint processes can depend on the living arrangement and service agreement. Review the written agreement and contact an independent disability advocate if you need help understanding it.
Register with DSO at 16, not 18.
Ask your regional DSO about its eligibility process, local availability, and timing for residential support.
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Facts5
Sources2
US$2.4M
Lifetime support costs for autism with co-occurring intellectual disability can reach US$2.4 million per person (Buescher et al.)
1 in 50
According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, about 1 in 50 children and youth aged 1 to 17 in Canada had an autism diagnosis
22.5%
Only 20,711 children have active funding agreements (22.5%), less than one in four
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism. Timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement
Last system verification: 2026-08-10. Next scheduled update: 2026-11-05.
About this pageCheck the author’s context, review method, and how to report an error.
Written bySpencer Carroll
Founder & Autism Advocate
Lived experience: Parent of autistic child navigating OAP system