Direct answer
An estimated 907 children are added to the unfunded Ontario autism waitlist each month. Roughly 918 children register for the Ontario Autism Program every month. Only about 11 start funded services in that time. The gap between those two numbers is the net monthly growth.
These rates are averages drawn from bi-weekly progress reports covering late June 2024 through early January 2026. They are approximate and derived from freedom-of-information data. The registration rate is well-sourced. The funded-enrollment figure is an estimate, and because the funded share stayed roughly flat per CBC FOI, the net growth shown here is a conservative estimate.
The waitlist grows when more children register than start funded services. About 918 children register for the Ontario Autism Program each month. Only about 11 start funded services in the same period. The difference, an estimated 907 children a month, is added to the group waiting without funded support. Because the funded share has stayed roughly flat per CBC FOI, this net figure is a conservative estimate.
CBC News reviewed reports covering late June 2024 through early January 2026 and documented periods where the number of funded children fell even as new families kept registering. CBC documented at least one two-week period where 151 fewer children were funded while 456 more registered.
The result is steady growth. As of May 13, 2026, 91,974 children were registered and 71,263 were waiting without funded services. Only 22.5% of registered children had funded Core Clinical Services.
To stop the waitlist from growing, funded enrollment would need to reach about 918 children per month, matching the rate at which children register. That would only hold the line. It would not shrink the 71,263 children already waiting.
To clear the current backlog within five years, enrollment would need to reach about 2,106 children per month, assuming the current registration rate of about 918 per month stays constant. At today's pace, that backlog cannot be cleared.
The current total and how it is counted.
The causes behind the wait, not just the rate.
How the 22.5% funded figure is calculated.
Primary source. Bi-weekly Ontario Autism Program progress reports covering late June 2024 through early January 2026, obtained through freedom of information. Source for the 91,974 registered, 20,711 funded, and the monthly registration rate behind these figures.
How many children are on the Ontario autism waitlist in 2026?
As of May 13, 2026, 91,974 children are registered with the Ontario Autism Program. However, only 20,711 (22.5%) have an active Core Funding Agreement. This represents approximately 290% growth in registrations since 2019, with 71,263 children still waiting for essential funding.
Source: MCCSS FOI via OAC · Mar 2026, FAO Report 2024 · Verify Link
What percentage of registered children receive autism services in Ontario?
Of 91,974 children registered in the Ontario Autism Program (May 13, 2026), only 22.5% are receiving core clinical services funding. The vast majority — approximately 77.5% — remain on the waitlist during their most critical developmental years.
Source: MCCSS FOI via OAC · Mar 2026 · Verify Link
Why is there a backlog in Ontario autism services?
The waitlist for core autism services has grown dramatically. FOI data showed 91,974 children registered (May 2026), representing a massive increase from previous years. Because invitations to core services are limited by fixed budgets, tens of thousands of children remain unserved, creating multi-year backlogs.
Source: MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · Verify Link
Written by Spencer Carroll
Founder & Autism Advocate
Evidence on this page
Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.
OAP registrations jumped 21% since mid-2024, with the number of funded children dipping in some periods despite hundreds more registering
22.5%
Only 20,711 children have active funding agreements (22.5%) — less than one in four
91,974
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
$965M
Ontario allocated $965M to the Ontario Autism Program in 2026-27
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement