How Much Does the Ontario Autism Program Pay Per Year?
Direct answer
The Ontario Autism Program pays up to $6,600–$65,000/year through core clinical funding. Foundational Family Services are delivered at no cost to families. Interim one-time funding is for families who registered before April 2021. Based on age on April 1, 2026, it pays $22,000 for children under 6 and $5,500 for children aged 6 to 17.
- Interim One-Time (under 6)
- $22,000
Key facts
- Funding Range
- $6,600–$65,000/year
- ontario.ca OAP Guidelines
- Variable by
- Age band + support level
- MCCSS 2024
- Interim One-Time (under 6)
- $22,000
- MCCSS
- Foundational Services
- Free
- MCCSS
What this means for your family
Before you book any provider, confirm they meet the OAP qualification rules (for example, a behaviour analyst, psychologist or psychological associate registered with the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario for ABA). They do not have to be on the voluntary OAP Provider List. Keep every invoice and receipt in one folder from your very first session, because you report expenses through your AccessOAP account. If your child is still waiting for a core clinical invitation, register anyway for Foundational Family Services, since those caregiver workshops and coaching sessions start immediately and do not require an invitation. Write down the date you registered, since that date sets your place in the order of invitations. If your family registered before the interim funding cutoff, call the Central Resource Team and ask for written confirmation of your status. A funding offer can take time to arrive, because children are invited in the order they registered. Keep your contact details up to date with AccessOAP.
The numbers behind this answer
Every answer on this site sits on the same verified counts. These are the current figures.
Ontario's figures, as of May 2026 (MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026).
Registered
91,974Children registered
Total registered in the Ontario Autism Program
Funded
20,711Have active funding
22.5% of registered children
Without active agreement
71,263Without an active funding agreement
An administrative status; it does not confirm current service delivery.
Show as table
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Children registered | 91,974 |
| Have active funding | 20,711 |
| Without an active funding agreement | 71,263 |
About This Article
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Last updated:
Core Clinical Funding Amounts
- OAP core clinical services provide a yearly funding allocation based on the child's support needs and age range (up to 3, 4 to 9, 10 to 14, or 15 to 17). The age range is set by the child's age on January 1 of the year of their determination of needs interview. Allocations range from $6,600–$65,000/year. Families use them to buy ABA, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy and mental health services from qualified providers they choose.
- As of May 13, 2026, only 20,711 of the 91,974 children registered with OAP have an active core clinical funding agreement. The remaining 71,263 children - 77.5% of registered children - are waiting without this funding.
Foundational Services and Interim Funding
- While waiting for a core clinical invitation, families can access OAP Foundational Family Services at no cost. These include caregiver workshops and coaching, family and peer mentoring, brief targeted consultations and transition supports. Foundational services do not include an individual budget - they are delivered directly by providers across Ontario.
- Interim one-time funding is a bridge measure for families who registered before April 2021. Based on age on April 1, 2026, it pays $22,000 for children under 6 and $5,500 for children aged 6 to 17. Contact the Central Resource Team at the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (1-888-444-4530 or oap@ontario.ca), or visit ontario.ca/autism, to confirm your status.
Frequently asked questions
OAP core clinical funding pays up to $6,600–$65,000/year. These amounts pay for therapy from qualified providers you choose.
Yes. AccessOAP issues core clinical funding to families. Allocations under $25,000 a year come in one payment; larger ones come in installments of up to $25,000. Families pay the providers they choose and report expenses through their AccessOAP account.
Yes, if they are qualified. Core clinical funding can pay any provider who meets the OAP qualification rules, even if they are not on the voluntary OAP Provider List. Interim one-time funding can also be used with providers not on the list, but behavioural services then need a signed clinical supervisor attestation form.
Sources
Ontario Autism Program: guidelines for core clinical services and supports (ontario.ca, updated September 10, 2026)
FOI
MCCSS Ontario Autism Program figures, May 13, 2026, obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition under Freedom of Information
Next steps
Keep going with related guidance, tools, and evidence.
Related questions
OAP Core Clinical vs Foundational Family Services
Core clinical budgets run $6,600–$65,000/year. Foundational Family Services can include caregiver workshops, coaching and brief consultations.
OAP Interim One-Time Funding: Status & Eligibility
Current status of the Ontario Autism Program interim one-time funding of up to $22,000. Find out if it is still available and how to check your eligibility.
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