The numbers
All figures are FOI-verified or sourced from government documents.
Registered
88,175Children registered
Total in the Ontario Autism Program queue
CBC FOI Jan 2026
Funded
20,666Have active funding
Just 23.4% of registered children
CBC FOI Jan 2026
Waiting
67,509Still waiting
Registered. Diagnosed. Un-funded.
CBC FOI Jan 2026
Verified — CBC FOI Jan 2026
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Children registered | 88,175 |
| Have active funding | 20,666 |
| Still waiting | 67,509 |
We prioritize primary government sources and legislative records over secondary reporting.
Independent legislative officer providing authoritative analysis of OAP waitlist numbers, funding allocations, and fiscal projections. Primary source for the 88,175 registered children figure (CBC FOI Jan 2026 progress report).
Visit sourceOfficial verbatim transcripts of Ontario Legislative Assembly debates. Used to verify ministerial statements about OAP waitlist numbers, funding commitments, and policy changes. Searchable at ola.org.
Visit sourceOfficial ministry announcements, OAP program updates, AccessOAP portal data releases, and press releases. Used for policy changes and program eligibility updates.
Visit sourceDirect requests filed under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). Used to obtain operational data not published in official reports — including regional waitlist breakdowns and assessment wait times.
Visit sourceCase records and tribunal decisions relating to autism services. Some statistics cited in HRTO filings (including Carroll v. Ontario, File 2025-62264-I) draw on ministry-produced evidence.
Visit sourceUsed for evidence on ABA therapy efficacy, cost benchmarks, and international comparisons. Citations include journals such as JABA, Autism Research, and Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.
Visit sourceA Freedom of Information (FOI) request under Ontario's FIPPA gives citizens legal access to government records. Here is how we file and use FOI requests to verify waitlist data.
Determine which ministry or public body holds the records. For OAP data: Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS). For financial data: Treasury Board Secretariat.
File online at ontario.ca/page/freedom-information-requests or by mail to the institution's FOI coordinator. Include: specific records sought, date range, format preference (electronic preferred). Fee: $5 application fee + $7.50/30 min search time.
Institutions have 30 calendar days to respond. They may request a time extension (common for large requests). Track your request number. If denied or extended without cause, file a complaint with the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC).
Cross-reference released records against other primary sources (FAO reports, HANSARD, press releases). Note redactions and request reconsideration if over-redacted. Document the record date, release date, and file number.
Cite the FOI file number, release date, institution, and specific page/document. Link to the original record where public hosting is permitted. Note any limitations or partial redactions that affect completeness.
IPC Appeals: If an FOI request is denied or records are over-redacted, you can file a complaint with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario at ipc.on.ca. Appeals are free and the IPC has authority to order disclosure.
Ontario's OAP system uses terminology that is easily confused. These are the precise definitions we use.
A child who has completed intake with AccessOAP and holds an active OAP file. This does NOT mean funded or receiving services.
A child actively receiving either OAP Childhood Budget funding OR Core Clinical Services. As of Dec 2025, approximately 23.4% of registered children.
A child on the waitlist for a Core Clinical Services needs assessment — the intensive funded therapy tier. Average wait: 5+ years as of 2026.
A child actively receiving OAP-funded services — either Childhood Budget or Core Clinical Services. Excludes children using only private funding.
A registered child receiving no OAP-funded services. As of Dec 2025, approximately 76.6% of registered children (67,509 children) are in this category.
The intensive tier of OAP funding providing up to $55,000/year for ABA and other evidence-based therapies. Requires a needs assessment, which families wait years to receive.
When we project future waitlist growth, we use a conservative baseline with disclosed assumptions.
Limitation: This projection assumes constant registration rates. If Ontario autism diagnosis rates increase (which peer-reviewed evidence suggests is likely), the actual waitlist will grow faster than projected.
Statistics on this site are assigned one of three confidence levels. When confidence is less than "Confirmed," we say so explicitly.
Directly sourced from government primary documents (FOI releases, FAO reports, HANSARD). Cited with file number or report name.
Example: 88,175 registered children (Dec 2025) — FAO Q3 2025 report
Derived from confirmed data using disclosed methodology. Example: per-child allocation calculated from budget ÷ registered children.
Example: $11,004/child — $965M ÷ 88,175 registered children
Forward-looking figures based on confirmed trend data with stated assumptions. Labeled as projections on all pages.
Example: 974 new registrations/month — 12-month average from FAO quarterly reports
Some data on this site was gathered in connection with Carroll v. Ontario (HRTO File 2025-62264-I), an active Human Rights Tribunal proceeding. FOI records, ministry correspondence, and official data obtained through that process are cited here only where they are independently verifiable through public sources. We do not publish any information that could prejudice ongoing proceedings.
All statistics cited here have been cross-referenced against at least one independent primary source (FAO reports, HANSARD, or government press releases) regardless of their origin.
HRTO Case Disclaimer
The legal claims in Carroll v. Ontario (HRTO 2025-62264-I) involve specific individual circumstances and are distinct from the general advocacy positions expressed on this website. This case alleges that wait times during documented critical developmental windows may constitute discrimination under Ontario's Human Rights Code.
Our compiled datasets are available for researchers, journalists, and advocates.
If you find a statistic that appears incorrect, please email us with: the specific claim, why you believe it is incorrect, and your primary source. We review all submissions and process verified corrections within 48 hours.
Report an ErrorCommitment to Accuracy: Our data is verified against official government reports (FAO, MCCSS), peer-reviewed scientific literature, and accessible public records. Last updated: March 24, 2026.
Verified Facts
88,175 — children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
23.4% — Only 20,666 children have active funding agreements () — less than one in four
$965M — Ontario allocated to the Ontario Autism Program in 2026-27
According to the FAO (2020 report), OAP funding covers less than one-third of estimated need at 2018-19 service levels
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement