Holland Bloorview Autism Wait Time

About Holland Bloorview

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital (150 Kilgour Road, Toronto) offers autism assessments as the Toronto region ASD diagnostic hub. Its team includes developmental paediatricians, psychologists, psychometrists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and social workers.

The hospital says an assessment is usually done by one or two clinicians over two to three visits, with a mix of in-person and virtual appointments. It says wait times vary based on referral volume. It does not give a number.

Source: Holland Bloorview, Diagnostic Services, read 2026-10-13.

Key information for families

Reported wait times

Holland Bloorview says its wait times for assessments vary based on referral volume. It does not publish a figure, so this page does not give one. Ask the referring clinician or the hospital about current intake.

How to get a referral

1. A referral from a physician (family doctor, paediatrician or paediatric subspecialist) or a nurse practitioner is required. The hospital accepts them by fax or e-referral and prefers e-referral.
2. The child must live in the city of Toronto or in an area without a local treatment centre.
3. The service is for first assessments. Holland Bloorview does not reassess children who already have an autism diagnosis.
4. If your doctor needs guidance, visit hollandbloorview.ca or call 416-425-6220.

OHIP coverage

Holland Bloorview says initial assessments are covered by OHIP, so families are not charged for them. Private psychologist assessments may have different coverage and fees. Ask providers directly about costs and availability.

The OAP connection

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 can ask providers directly about private assessment options while waiting for Holland Bloorview. A diagnosis from a registered psychologist is accepted by AccessOAP. Reaching diagnosis sooner starts the OAP clock sooner.

Source: MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · Updated 2026-08-10

Community pathways: assessment closer to home

Holland Bloorview runs Autism Services Community Pathways. They let a community physician work with Holland Bloorview clinicians so a child can be assessed by their own physician, close to home. The hospital says this means less wait than a traditional referral to its assessment team. It does not give a number.

• Diagnostic consultation (under 18). The physician assesses the child and can book a 30-minute consultation with a Holland Bloorview psychologist or speech-language pathologist to discuss the case. The family is not at the consultation. The physician gives the diagnosis.
• Virtual assessment (under 6). A Holland Bloorview speech-language pathologist runs a virtual test with the child while the referring physician is present. The physician gives the diagnosis.
• Social work short-term consultation. For a child diagnosed outside Holland Bloorview in the past 12 months, help with finding resources.

If a community referral does not reach a conclusion, it can be sent to Holland Bloorview for an in-person assessment, and the hospital says the original referral date is honoured. If the hospital cannot reach the physician's office within two weeks of its first attempt, the referral is redirected to a standard assessment and the child stays on the list for the full wait for that assessment. Only physicians and nurse practitioners can refer, so ask yours whether they take part.

Source: Holland Bloorview, Autism Services Community Pathways, read 2026-10-13.

Private assessment as a parallel path

A registered psychologist can provide an ASD assessment. Confirm AccessOAP requirements and ask the provider about assessment timing and fees.

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.