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A local guide to public referral routes, private assessors, and bilingual options for children and adults. Verify current eligibility, fees, and intake directly.
Local access directory
Official intake guidance and local directory leads are kept separate here. Confirm referral rules, service area, fees, and current intake directly with the named source.
Browse the Ontario service directoryAsk your primary-care provider about referral eligibility and confirm the current intake process with the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario.
Confirm CHEO intakeConfirm the assessor's registration, total fee, report requirements, language capacity, and current availability before booking.
Ask a primary-care provider about referral requirements for CHEO and other public services. Ask private assessors for a current written fee, referral rules, report contents, language options, and availability. Confirm whether the report meets current OAP registration requirements before booking.
Confirm service area, referral eligibility, intake steps, language services, and current availability directly with CHEO. This page does not publish an Ottawa wait estimate.
Some public and private services may offer English or French assessment. State your language preference when requesting a referral and confirm the assessor’s current language capacity before booking.
Ask each service whether it assesses adults, what records or referral are required, what the report includes, and whether the assessor is registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario. Availability and fees vary, so obtain current details directly.
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Connect with autism service providers and support networks near you.
Last reviewed: March 2026
Related Resources
Who can diagnose autism in Ontario?
VerifiedIn Ontario, autism can be diagnosed by: registered psychologists, psychological associates, developmental pediatricians, pediatricians with autism training, psychiatrists, and neurologists. Assessments must follow DSM-5 criteria. OAP accepts diagnoses from any qualified professional meeting ministry criteria.
Source: College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario · Verify Link
What type of diagnosis does OAP accept?
VerifiedOAP accepts diagnoses from psychologists, psychological associates, pediatricians, family physicians, psychiatrists, neurologists, and developmental pediatricians. The diagnosis must follow DSM-5 or ICD-10 criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Private diagnoses are fully accepted by the program.
Source: Ontario Government OAP Guidelines
Evidence on this page
Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.
Evidence supports autism screening and intervention commencing in the first 2 years of life — earlier identification directly enables earlier intervention during the highest neural plasticity window
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
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism. Timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement
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
$965M
Ontario allocated $965M to the Ontario Autism Program in 2026-27
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One next step, the evidence behind it, and the page context—grouped instead of repeated.