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Answers
91,974 children registered. 71,263 without an active Core Funding Agreement. Here's what the budget means.
In brief
Every question on this page traces back to one of these three numbers.
Registered
91,974
91,974Children registered
Total registered in the Ontario Autism Program
Funded
20,711
20,711Have active funding
Only 22.5% of registered children
Without active agreement
71,263
71,263Without an active funding agreement
An administrative status; it does not confirm current service delivery.
Verified · MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Children registered | 91,974 |
| Have active funding | 20,711 |
| Without an active funding agreement | 71,263 |
In the 2023-24 fiscal year, Ontario allocated $691.2 million to the Ontario Autism Program. This figure comes from the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario's MCCSS Spending Plan Review and MCCSS FOI documents.
Key finding: Less than half of total OAP spending reaches children as therapy. Administrative operations ($57.9M to AccessOAP) cost more than the entire Entry to School Program ($54.7M).
The Financial Accountability Office estimated that $1.35 billion would be required to serve all waitlisted children at 2018-19 service levels. That estimate was based on 40,700 children. The OAP now has 91,974 registered children, more than double the FAO baseline.
The true need likely exceeds $1.35B given that registrations have more than doubled since the FAO's 2020 analysis. At approximately 242 new funded agreements per month (OAC FOI analysis), the current pace is not enough to meaningfully reduce a waitlist of 71,263.
The 2026 Ontario Budget was tabled on March 26, 2026. The autism allocation rose to $965M for 2026-27, up from $779M in 2025-26. While this narrowed the FAO gap from $571M to $385M, it does not account for the doubling of registrations since the FAO estimate.
In 2023-24, Ontario spent $691.2M on the Ontario Autism Program. Of that, $307.3M (44.5%) went to Core Clinical Services. The FAO estimated $1.35B is needed to serve all 91,974 registered children. The 2026 Ontario Budget was tabled on March 26, 2026, check our analysis page for the updated figures.
Based on $691.2M in FY2023-24 OAP spending and the then-current registered total as of March 2026, the per-child allocation from that fiscal year was approximately 7515. Core Clinical funding levels range from $6,600 to $65,000 depending on assessed need. Private ABA therapy in Ontario commonly costs around $50,000-$80,000 annually (rates vary; confirm with providers).
The FAO estimated $1.35B is needed at 2018-19 service levels. The 2026-27 budget allocates $965M, leaving a $385M annual shortfall. The true gap is likely larger because the FAO estimate was based on ~40,700 children and the OAP now has 91,974 registered.
Of $691.2M total OAP spending in 2023-24, $307.3M (44.5%) went to Core Clinical Services (therapy). $57.9M (8.4%) went to AccessOAP administration run by a consortium led by Accerta/Ontario Dental Association. $104.0M went to legacy programs, $58.9M to urgent response, $54.7M to entry-to-school, and $26.5M to system capacity building.
No. Even at $965M for 2026-27, the budget falls $385M short of the FAO's 2020 estimate of $1.35B. That estimate was for roughly 40,700 children, but the program now has 91,974 registered children. At approximately 242 new funded agreements per month (Ontario Autism Coalition, July 2026), the current funding rate is insufficient to clear a waitlist of 71,263.
Source for $691.2M total OAP spending breakdown and $1.35B needs estimate
Source for 91,974 registered children and 20,711 funded as of May 2026
Prior waitlist snapshot; January 2026 milestone figures
Program-level spending detail including AccessOAP contract value
Next Steps
71,263 children are counting on the budget delivering real change. The $385M shortfall demands action.
How many children are on the Ontario autism waitlist in 2026?
VerifiedAs 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 ~300% growth in registrations since 2019, with 71,263 children still waiting for essential funding.
Source: MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · Open source record
Is the Ontario Autism Program underfunded?
VerifiedThe 2026-27 Ontario Budget allocated $965 million for autism services, up from $779 million in 2025-26, while 91,974 children are registered. The budget record supports the current allocation; the historical FAO funding model is cited separately.
Source: 2026-27 Ontario Budget · Open source record
Sources on this page
Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.
$965M
Ontario allocated $965M to the Ontario Autism Program in 2026-27
According to the FAO (2020 report), OAP funding covers less than one-third of estimated need at 2018-19 service levels
91,974
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
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
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