Interactive Tool

Cohort Simulator

Illustrative calendar-age scenarios only. This tool does not forecast wait times, clinical outcomes, or individual service access.

Open simulator

Time

Interactive scenarios

Output

Illustrative arithmetic

Privacy

No account required

Direct answer

Illustrative calendar-age scenarios only. This tool does not forecast wait times, clinical outcomes, or individual service access.

Simulator method and limits · Verified 2026-08-10

How to use this scenario

Use hypothetical calendar intervals to see how an age-plus-interval calculation works
The scenario labels are illustrative inputs, not current regional or provincial wait estimates
The output is not a clinical outcome, waitlist forecast, or individual prediction
Confirm current eligibility, intake, and service information with the administering program or provider

Explore a calendar-age scenario

Try a scenario

Explore a simple calendar-age scenario. This is an illustrative arithmetic tool, not a clinical model, wait-time forecast, or prediction about an individual child.

Registration age

2 years old

Timeline (age 0-18)

The timeline is a visualisation of the selected hypothetical calendar interval. It does not measure an intervention window or infer a clinical effect.

Illustrative arithmetic only: in this scenario, a child registered at age 2 would start service at age 7.0. The result does not predict clinical outcomes, service access, or what will happen to an individual child.

Simulator method and limits · Data checked 2026-08-10

Method and limits

Read the result as a planning signal

Calculation: The simulator adds a hypothetical interval to a selected registration age.
Interpretation: It is a transparent arithmetic illustration, not a clinical model, wait-time forecast, estimate of a child’s development, or promise about service access.
Privacy and review: Data checked 2026-08-10. No names, postal codes, or form responses are collected by this tool.

Where the waitlist stands

Families navigating autism services in Ontario face a documented multi-year wait. Here is the Ontario data — and a two-minute way to push back, when you are ready.

See where the waitlist stands Email your MPP

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

Guides and tools related to this page.

Citable facts from this page(3)

How many children are on the Ontario autism waitlist?

Latest FOI data shows 91,974 children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program (May 2026), while 22.5% have active funding agreements. [FOI] An active funding agreement does not mean a child is receiving services; it is an administrative status distinct from service delivery. Some families report waits of 5+ years for families registered in August 2021 (community-reported, Ontario Autism Coalition, July 2026). That report is not a province-wide average. Last verified: 2026-08-10

Source: MCCSS FOI data via Ontario Autism Coalition [OAC] · Open source record

Why is early intervention critical for autistic children?

Dawson et al. (2010, Pediatrics; PMID 19948568) demonstrated in an RCT that ESDM (Early Start Denver Model) begun at ages 18–30 months produced significant gains in IQ and adaptive behaviour. Zwaigenbaum et al. (2015, Pediatrics; PMID 26430168) and the Reichow et al. (2018) Cochrane Review (PMID 29742275) support intervention within the first 2 years of life as the highest-plasticity window.

Source: Dawson et al., Pediatrics 2010 (PMID 19948568); Zwaigenbaum et al., Pediatrics 2015 (PMID 26430168); Reichow et al., Cochrane 2018 (PMID 29742275) · Open source record

What percentage of registered children receive autism services in Ontario?

Of 91,974 children registered in the Ontario Autism Program (May 13, 2026), 22.5% have active Core Funding Agreements. This is an administrative measure and does not establish service receipt; approximately 77.5% have no active agreement.

Source: MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · Open source record