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Funding model changing 2026–2027
Public information

Autism Services in British Columbia (2026)

Direct answer

BC Autism Funding pays families directly: up to $22,000 a year for children under 6 and up to $6,000 a year for ages 6 to 18, until March 31, 2027. BC announced it will replace the program with the needs-based BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit, at $6,500 or $17,000 a year. Confirm details with BC’s Ministry of Children and Family Development.

BC program announcement · BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit · Verified August 2026

Last updated: 2026-09-28

Max annual funding (under 6), through Mar 2027
$22,000
Administering ministry
MCFD

MCFD Autism Funding Program documentation · Verified 2026-09-28

BC autism funding: current, transition, and replacement programmes

Programme-state timeline, announced Feb 10, 2026

In force now

BC Autism Funding Program: Under Age 6

$22,000 / year

Under age 6

Effective:
· Ends March 31, 2027
Income test:
No income test
Source:
MCFD Autism Funding Program documentation
In force now

BC Autism Funding Program: Ages 6–18

$6,000 / year

Ages 6–18

Effective:
· Ends March 31, 2027
Income test:
No income test
Source:
MCFD Autism Funding Program documentation
Replacement: from Apr 1, 2027

BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit

$6,500–$17,000 / year

Needs-based level

Effective:
From April 1, 2027
Income test:
Not income-tested
Source:
Gov. of BC news release, Feb 10, 2026
Supplement: from Jul 2027

BC Children and Youth Disability Supplement

Up to $6,000 / year

Under age 18, DTC-eligible

Effective:
From July 2027
Income test:
Income-tested
Source:
Gov. of BC news release, Feb 10, 2026

What is changing in 2026–2027

On February 10, 2026, BC's Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) announced that individualized Autism Funding and School-Aged Extended Therapies (SAET) will be replaced by two new programs, backed by $475 million over three years. The change broadens eligibility to more children across a wider range of diagnoses and needs, but reduces the maximum amount available to some families, including families of young children who could previously access up to $22,000annually.

  • BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit — needs-based funding of $6,500 annually (base level) or $17,000 annually (higher level), as announced in February 2026. Not income-tested. Planned to be available to all eligible families from April 1, 2027; confirm details with MCFD.
  • BC Children and Youth Disability Supplement — income-tested, for families of a child under 18 eligible for the federal Disability Tax Credit; announced at up to $6,000 annually, with payments beginning July 2027.
  • The current Autism Funding Program ends March 31, 2027. Families are being transitioned to the new Benefit between March 2026 and March 2027. The figures below describe the program in place through that date.

Source: Government of British Columbia news release (Feb 10, 2026); BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit (gov.bc.ca); CBC News. See data sources below.

Quick Summary

  • The BC Autism Funding Program is scheduled to end on March 31, 2027.
  • BC has introduced the Children and Youth Disability Benefit for eligible children with significant or complex needs.
  • Contact the responsible BC office to ask about eligibility and local services.

How Ontario compares

Ontario FOI data can document Ontario access. Provincial program pages describe mechanics, but do not support a standardized national performance ranking.

Ontario's figures, as of May 2026 (MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026).

Registered

91,974

Children registered

Total registered in the Ontario Autism Program

Funded

20,711

Have active funding

22.5% of registered children

Without active agreement

71,263

Without an active funding agreement

An administrative status; it does not confirm current service delivery.

Figures as of · MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · checked

Show as table
Ontario Autism Program key statistics (MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026, as of May 13, 2026)
MetricValue
Children registered91,974
Have active funding20,711
Without an active funding agreement71,263

Information last verified: 2026-09-28

BC Autism Funding Program (through March 31, 2027)

The BC Autism Funding Program is administered by the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and provides direct funding to families of children with autism. Unlike Ontario's centralized waitlist model, funding follows the child directly , families receive funds and choose their own approved service providers. The amounts below remain in place until March 31, 2027, after which they are replaced by the needs-based BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit (announced at $6,500–$17,000annually) described above.

Ages 6–18

Up to $6,000 annually (as of the 2026 program rules; confirm with MCFD) in direct funds for autism supports.

  • ABA therapy and behavioral supports
  • Speech-language pathology
  • Occupational therapy
  • Social skills programs
  • Parent training and coaching

Under Age 6

Up to $22,000 annually (as of the 2026 program rules; confirm with MCFD) in direct funds for early intervention autism supports.

  • Early intensive behavioral intervention
  • Developmental therapy
  • Family support services
  • Early childhood programs

Note: Early intervention funding is lower than the 6–18 stream, which critics note is counterintuitive given the importance of early intervention.

Eligibility & How to Apply

Eligibility Criteria

  • Formal autism spectrum disorder diagnosis from a qualified clinician
  • BC resident (Canadian citizen or permanent resident)
  • Under age 19 (funding ends at 19)
  • No income test required
  • No annual cap on number of recipients

Application Steps

  1. Obtain autism diagnosis from psychologist, physician, or psychiatrist.
  2. Contact MCFD at 1-877-387-7027 or your local CYSN office.
  3. Submit diagnosis documentation and complete the application.
  4. A social worker conducts the program needs assessment.
  5. Funding is approved and you select your service providers.

MCFD Autism Funding Program documentation · Verified 2026-09-28

Access Timelines in BC

Funding Access

Ask locally

Published program pages explain the application process but do not provide a standardized province-wide timeline suitable for comparison with Ontario.

Diagnosis (BC Children's)

Varies

Diagnostic assessment wait times at BC Children's Hospital vary. The BC Autism Assessment Network (BCAAN) has regional clinics to reduce waits. Ask the assessment network for current regional timelines and options.

BC vs Ontario: The Fundamental Difference

Ontario FOI records document 91,974 OAP registrations and a substantial gap between registration and active core funding. BC uses different eligibility and delivery rules. Those differences are important for navigation, but they do not prove that one province provides faster access or better outcomes.

Source: MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 (MCCSS) · Verified August 2026

Services in Major BC Cities

Vancouver

  • BC Children's Hospital AND Program (diagnostic assessments)
  • Sunny Hill Health Centre (developmental pediatrics)
  • Autism Society of BC (navigation support)
  • Multiple private ABA clinics in Metro Vancouver

Victoria

  • Victoria CYSN MCFD office
  • Island Health developmental pediatrics
  • Autism Society Vancouver Island
  • Private therapy providers in Greater Victoria

Surrey & Burnaby

  • Surrey MCFD office
  • Community Living BC services
  • ABA providers in Surrey, Burnaby, and Coquitlam
  • School district autism support programs

Kelowna & Interior

  • Interior Health developmental services
  • Kelowna MCFD/CYSN office
  • BCAAN regional assessment clinic
  • Interior community ABA providers

BC vs Ontario: Side-by-Side Comparison

For a longer comparison, see Ontario vs BC and Ontario autism funding vs other provinces.

Comparison table · Sources and Ontario figures verified August 2026

British Columbia and Ontario autism program comparison with source references
CategoryBritish ColumbiaOntarioSource
Funding ModelDirect funding to familiesCentralized waitlist invitationMCFD Autism Funding Program documentation; MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 (MCCSS)
Comparable Wait TimeNot publishedFOI data availableMCFD Autism Funding Program documentation; MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 (MCCSS)
Max Annual Funding (under 6)$22,000 (until Mar 2027)$65,000MCFD Autism Funding Program documentation; MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 (MCCSS)
From April 2027 (needs-based)Announced $6,500–$17,000 annually$6,600–$65,000Government of BC news release, “Supporting children, youth with disabilities with new programs, more funding” (Feb 10, 2026); MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 (MCCSS)
Provider ChoiceFull parent choiceApproved provider listMCFD Autism Funding Program documentation; MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 (MCCSS)
Income TestNo income testNo income testMCFD Autism Funding Program documentation; MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 (MCCSS)
Comparable coverage rateNot published22.5%MCFD Autism Funding Program documentation; MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 (MCCSS)

Explore More Resources

Understand federal benefits and how other provinces compare.

National Overview Disability Tax Credit Guide

Data Sources

Verified references and sources

Watchdog Reports

  • [2024]
    Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services: Spending Plan Review
    Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) • Watchdog report • 2024-06-05
    View

FOI Records

  • [2026]
    Ontario Autism Program figures as of May 13, 2026 (MCCSS, released under Freedom of Information to the Ontario Autism Coalition; published in the OAC "OAP At A Glance" update, July 2026)
    Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (Ontario), obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition • FOI record • 2026-05-13
    View
Claims and sources from this page(2)

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 ~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?

The 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. Pending verification: Editorial review not recorded. Excluded from citation-ready exports.

Source: 2026-27 Ontario Budget · Open source record

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. On February 10, 2026, BC's Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) announced that the individualized Autism Funding Program will end on March 31, 2027. It is being replaced by a needs-based BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit, which has been announced to pay either $6,500 or $17,000 annually depending on assessed need and to become available to all eligible families on April 1, 2027 (details as announced February 2026; confirm with MCFD). A separate income-tested BC Children and Youth Disability Supplement (announced at up to $6,000 annually) is planned to begin in July 2027. The change broadens eligibility to more children across more diagnoses, but reduces the maximum amount available to some families, including families of young children who could previously access up to $22,000 annually.

Through March 31, 2027, the BC Autism Funding Program (administered by MCFD) provided age-dependent annual maximums: up to $22,000 for children under 6 and up to $6,000 for ages 6–18. Confirm current amounts with MCFD. From April 1, 2027, this is scheduled to be replaced by the needs-based BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit (announced at $6,500 annually at the base level or $17,000 annually at the higher level). The money can be used for a range of services including ABA therapy, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and other supports.

While the Autism Funding Program runs through March 31, 2027: (1) Obtain a formal autism diagnosis from a qualified clinician (psychologist, physician, or psychiatrist). (2) Contact the MCFD or your local CYSN social worker, call 1-877-387-7027 or contact your local MCFD office. (3) Submit the diagnosis documentation and application form. (4) A social worker will conduct a needs assessment. Families currently receiving Autism Funding are being transitioned to the new BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit between March 2026 and March 2027. Check the official MCFD website for the latest transition steps.

BC's published program materials describe eligibility and application mechanics, but they do not provide a standardized province-wide measure that can be compared directly with Ontario's FOI-derived OAP figures. Families may encounter delays at diagnosis, eligibility, assessment, and individual providers. Ask the responsible BC office and prospective providers for current local timelines.

Vancouver has many autism services. Key resources include: BC Children's Hospital Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (AND) Program for diagnostic assessments; the BC Autism Assessment Network (BCAAN) with regional clinics across the province; the Sunny Hill Health Centre for developmental pediatrics; community ABA providers throughout Metro Vancouver; and the Autism Society of BC which provides navigation support, workshops, and social programs.

The programs use different eligibility, delivery, age, and funding rules. BC's published materials establish its program mechanics and transition amounts; they do not establish comparable access or outcomes. Ontario FOI records show 77.5% of registered children without active core clinical funding, but no standardized independent national dataset supports ranking BC and Ontario by wait time or effectiveness.

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Facts3
Sources2

22.5%

Only 20,711 children have active funding agreements (22.5%), less than one in four

Primary sourceMCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026Verified 2026-08-10
Last system verification: 2026-08-10. Next scheduled update: 2026-11-05.
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Lived experience: Parent of autistic child navigating OAP system

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