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FOI & Government Documents
An index of key FOI releases, FAO reports, and government documents related to the Ontario Autism Program, primary sources for journalists, researchers, and advocates.
Direct answer
MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · Verified 2026-08-10
In brief
All figures are FOI-verified or sourced from government documents.
Ontario's figures, as of May 2026 (MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026).
Registered
91,974
91,974Children registered
Total registered in the Ontario Autism Program
Funded
20,711
20,711Have active funding
22.5% of registered children
Without active agreement
71,263
71,263Without an active funding agreement
An administrative status; it does not confirm current service delivery.
Figures as of · MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · checked
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Children registered | 91,974 |
| Have active funding | 20,711 |
| Without an active funding agreement | 71,263 |
Source: MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026. Verified 2026-08-10.
Dated source records, publishers, descriptions, and links to source material. The current waitlist figures are verified 2026-08-10.
| Release and date | Description | Source | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario Autism Program Access Snapshot — May 13, 20262026-05-13ETWO Verified Release · Data as of May 13, 2026 | 91,974 registered, 24,417 enrolled, 20,711 with active funding agreements (not proof of service receipt), and 71,263 waiting without active core funding. Enrolment is not the same as receiving services. | End The Wait Ontario compilation of MCCSS figures obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition | |
| OAP Bi-weekly Progress Reports, 18 Months of FOI Data2026-01FOI Release · January 2026 | CBC News obtained 18 months of OAP bi-weekly progress reports (late June 2024 through January 7, 2026) via Freedom of Information request. The January 7 snapshot recorded 88,175 registrations and 67,509 children without active funding, and documented funding dips during periods of registration growth. | CBC News (via FIPPA) | |
| MCCSS Spending Plan Review 2023-242023-24FAO Report · 2023–24 Fiscal Year | The FAO's independent review of MCCSS spending plans, including OAP funding allocations, service delivery projections, and cost-to-clear estimates. | Financial Accountability Office of Ontario | |
| Ontario Autism Coalition FOI Data2023Advocacy FOI · 2023 | The Ontario Autism Coalition obtained historical OAP registration and waitlist data via Freedom of Information requests, providing the longitudinal baseline for understanding waitlist growth since the 2019 reform. This data informs the OAC's public advocacy and was used in FAO analyses. | Ontario Autism Coalition (via FIPPA) | |
| FAO Projection: Long-Term OAP Cost Estimate2020FAO Projection · 2020 | The FAO's 2020 projection estimated that restoring OAP to 2018-19 service levels would require approximately $1.35B annually. This per-child cost underpins the $2.09B–$2.71B gap range (ETWO analysis). | Financial Accountability Office of Ontario | |
| Pre-Reform OAP Baseline: ~23,000 Registrations2019-04Government Document · April 2019 | At the time of the April 2019 OAP redesign, approximately 23,000 children were registered, a figure cited in FAO analyses and OAC historical tracking. This is the baseline against which subsequent growth is measured. Note: the government did not publish exact real-time registration counts at the time of reform. | FAO / Ontario Autism Coalition | |
| Ontario Budget 2026-272026-03Government Document · March 2026 | Ontario Budget 2026-27 allocated $965M to the Ontario Autism Program. Budget documents are the primary government source for annual OAP funding figures and are used as the baseline for all budget gap calculations. | Government of Ontario |
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
Where does Ontario autism program money go?
In 2023-24, Ontario spent $691.2 million on the Ontario Autism Program (OAP), but only $307.3 million (44.5%) reached Core Clinical Services — direct therapy. The intake system AccessOAP, operated by Accerta Services Inc. (affiliated with the Ontario Dental Association), received $57.9 million to administer registrations. That is 55 cents of every dollar not reaching a therapist's office. Source: MCCSS spending breakdown obtained under FOI by The Trillium, July 4, 2024; program total cross-checked against the FAO Spending Plan Review, June 2024.
Source: MCCSS spending breakdown obtained through FOI by The Trillium, July 2024; program total cross-checked against the FAO MCCSS Spending Plan Review, June 2024 · Open source record
Does Ontario publish transparent autism waitlist data?
Ontario does not publish transparent, real-time waitlist data for the Ontario Autism Program. Families do not know their position in the queue or when services will begin. The Financial Accountability Office provides periodic reports, but detailed enrollment timelines are not publicly available.
Source: FAO Report 2023-24; MCCSS OAP Program Data
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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
OAP registrations jumped 21% since mid-2024, with the number of funded children dipping in some periods despite hundreds more registering
$965M
Ontario allocated $965M 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
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Founder & Autism Advocate
Lived experience: Parent of autistic child navigating OAP system