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Provider Guide
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is Ontario's primary autism diagnostic hub for Toronto and central Ontario. Here is what families report about wait times and how to navigate the referral process.
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital (150 Kilgour Road, Toronto) is Canada's largest children's rehabilitation hospital. It serves as the lead Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnostic hub for Toronto and central Ontario. The ASD diagnostic program involves a team-based assessment led by child psychiatry and psychology, with contributions from speech-language pathology (SLP) and occupational therapy (OT).
Assessments follow DSM-5 criteria and produce a report accepted by AccessOAP for Ontario Autism Program (OAP) registration. Holland Bloorview is OHIP-insured, there is no direct cost to families for the assessment itself.
Holland Bloorview also operates the Bloorview Research Institute and offers post-diagnostic family support through the Autism Spectrum Disorder Support Organization (ASDO). Additional services include medical management, rehabilitation, and developmental paediatrics.
Families publicly report wait times of approximately 12–24 months from referral to initial ASD assessment appointment. Wait times vary by the child's age, younger children are in higher demand and may wait longer. Wait times change frequently; confirm the current wait directly with Holland Bloorview.
A referral from a family doctor (GP) or paediatrician is required. Self-referrals are not accepted. Ask your family doctor to submit a referral to Holland Bloorview's intake team. If your doctor needs guidance, visit hollandbloorview.ca or call 416-425-6220.
The ASD assessment at Holland Bloorview is OHIP-covered. Families do not pay for the assessment itself. Note that private psychologist assessments outside hospital settings (which provide a faster path) are not OHIP-covered and typically cost $2,500–$4,000.
With 71,263 children currently waiting for OAP Core Clinical Services, every month without a diagnosis is a month not on the OAP waitlist. Families are advised to simultaneously pursue a private psychologist assessment (4–8 week turnaround) while waiting for Holland Bloorview. A diagnosis from a registered psychologist is accepted by AccessOAP. Reaching diagnosis sooner starts the OAP clock sooner.
A registered psychologist can provide a comprehensive ASD assessment that is accepted by AccessOAP for OAP registration. Private assessments commonly take one to two months to complete (varies by provider) (compared to 12–24 months in the public system) and cost approximately $2,500–$4,000 depending on the provider.
Families who complete a private assessment can register with AccessOAP immediately, beginning the OAP waitlist clock while still waiting for a hospital appointment if they choose to pursue both.
Ontario does not mandate families to choose between public and private, pursuing both simultaneously is permitted.
Families report publicly that wait times for autism (ASD) assessment at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital are approximately 12 to 24 months from referral to initial assessment appointment. Wait times vary by age and change over time, confirm the current wait directly with Holland Bloorview at hollandbloorview.ca or by calling 416-425-6220.
Holland Bloorview requires a referral from a family doctor (GP) or paediatrician. Self-referrals are not accepted. If your family doctor is unsure how to refer, they can contact the Holland Bloorview intake team directly at hollandbloorview.ca. The referral should include documentation of developmental concerns that prompted the request.
Yes. ASD diagnostic assessments at Holland Bloorview are performed by an OHIP-insured clinical team, meaning there is no direct cost to the family for the assessment itself. Private assessments conducted by psychologists outside hospital settings are not OHIP-covered and typically cost $2,500–$4,000.
Yes. There is no rule against being on multiple assessment waitlists simultaneously. Given that 71,263 children are currently waiting for OAP Core Clinical Services, and every month without a diagnosis is a month not on the OAP waitlist, many families pursue a private psychologist assessment (commonly around 4–8 weeks and roughly $2,500–$4,000; confirm with providers) in parallel. A diagnosis from a registered psychologist is accepted by AccessOAP for OAP registration.
Following an ASD diagnosis, Holland Bloorview connects families to next steps including registration with AccessOAP (the provincial OAP intake), the Autism Spectrum Disorder Support Organization (ASDO) post-diagnostic support, and relevant therapies. AccessOAP registration should happen immediately after diagnosis, the OAP waitlist clock does not start until registration.
Next Steps
The OAP waitlist clock starts at registration, not at diagnosis. Every day of delay is a day added to the wait for Core Clinical Services.
Related Resources
How long does autism diagnosis take in Ontario?
VerifiedBefore joining the OAP waitlist, Ontario diagnostic waitlists average 12–24 months at public hospitals. This pre-waitlist delay means total time from first concern to therapy often exceeds 5–7 years, an invisible bottleneck in official statistics.
Source: Ontario Autism Program [OAP] · Verify Link
Is private autism assessment faster in Ontario?
VerifiedPrivate autism assessments cost $2,500–$4,000 but reduce wait times from years to weeks. Many families face the choice of paying out-of-pocket to access the OAP sooner or waiting while their child misses the critical early intervention window.
Source: Ontario Autism Program [OAP] · Verify Link
Evidence on this page
Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.
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
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism. Timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement
According to the FAO (2020 report), OAP funding covers less than one-third of estimated need at 2018-19 service levels