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BUDGET HUB
91,974 children registered for autism services. 71,263 still waiting. The March 26 budget has been tabled. See our analysis of what it means for the 71,263 children still waiting.
In brief
Budget allocations are measured against the children still waiting.
Registered
91,974
91,974Children registered
Total registered in the Ontario Autism Program
Funded
20,711
20,711Have active funding
Only 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.
Verified · MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Children registered | 91,974 |
| Have active funding | 20,711 |
| Without an active funding agreement | 71,263 |
$965M
OAP Budget 2026-27
$691.2M
Actual OAP Spending 2023-24
71,263
Children Without an Active Agreement
$1.35B
FAO Estimate to Clear Waitlist
Ontario's autism program budget tells two different stories depending on which number you read. The budgeted amount for 2026-27 is $965 million, but the FAO found only $691.2 million was actually spent in 2023-24.
The gap between what is budgeted and what is spent is one part of the problem. The gap between what is spent and what is needed is the crisis: the FAO estimated $1.35 billion would be required to serve all waitlisted children at 2018-19 service levels. The FAO estimate ($1.35B) minus current 2023-24 spending ($691.2M) equals approximately $658 million more per year needed.
The March 26 budget has been tabled. See our detailed analysis for what it means for autism families.
71,263 children without an active Core Funding Agreement. The OAP budget determines how many will receive Core Clinical Services, ABA, speech, OT, and mental health support.
Read moreODSP rates have been frozen at levels far below the poverty line. Budget day reveals whether the government will increase support for adults with disabilities.
Read moreSpecial education grants, EA staffing, and autism-specific classroom supports. School boards are already stretched, the budget sets the ceiling.
Read morePediatric mental health waitlists, children's treatment centres, and diagnostic hub funding all depend on healthcare budget allocations.
Read moreBudgets announce intentions. The FAO checks what actually happened. Here is the gap from the most recent fiscal year with complete data (2023-24):
The government allocated $965 million for the OAP in 2026-27, but in 2023-24, actual spending was $691.2 million. Less than half of that, $307.3 million (44.5%), reached Core Clinical Services, the therapy that families are actually waiting for.
The remaining spending went to: Urgent Response ($58.9M), AccessOAP consortium operations ($57.9M), Entry to School ($54.7M), legacy programs ($104M), system capacity building ($26.5M), foundational family services ($23.2M), caregiver-mediated early years ($20.4M), and other categories.
Per child, this works out to roughly $10,492 per registered child, well below the $6,600–$65,000/year range of Core Clinical funding levels. The math does not add up, and the waitlist grows by approximately 907 children per month.
The Ontario Budget 2026 was tabled on March 26, 2026. The Minister of Finance tabled the budget in the Ontario Legislature, with the full Expenditure Estimates published on the Ontario government website.
In 2023-24, Ontario spent $691.2M on the Ontario Autism Program. The OAP budget allocation for 2026-27 is $965M. The Financial Accountability Office estimated $1.35B would be needed to serve all 91,974 registered children at 2018-19 service levels.
The Ontario budget determines funding for autism services (OAP), the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), public education, and healthcare. Each of these programs directly impacts families with children with disabilities.
Autism spending appears in the Expenditure Estimates under the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS), specifically in Transfer Payments line items for the Ontario Autism Program and Children's Treatment. The Financial Accountability Office also publishes independent analyses of ministry spending.
Next Steps
The March 26 budget has been tabled. 71,263 children are still counting on real change. Read the analysis and write your MPP.
How many children are on the Ontario autism waitlist in 2026?
VerifiedAs 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
Is the Ontario Autism Program underfunded?
VerifiedThe 2026-27 Ontario Budget allocated $965 million for autism services, up from $779 million in 2025-26, while 91,974 children are registered. The budget record supports the current allocation; the historical FAO funding model is cited separately.
Source: 2026-27 Ontario Budget · Open source record
Sources on this page
Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.
$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
91,974
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
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