What the budget delivered
Budget allocations are measured against the children still waiting.
Registered
89,799Children registered
Total in the Ontario Autism Program queue
MCCSS FOI · Mar 2026
Funded
20,633Have active funding
Only 23% of registered children
MCCSS FOI · Mar 2026
Waiting
69,166Still waiting
Registered. Diagnosed. Un-funded.
MCCSS FOI · Mar 2026
Verified , MCCSS FOI · Mar 2026
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Children registered | 89,799 |
| Have active funding | 20,633 |
| Still waiting | 69,166 |
$965M
OAP Budget 2025-26
$691.2M
Actual OAP Spending 2023-24
69,166
Children Without Funded Services
$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.
69,166 children without funded therapy. 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 $10,746 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 402 children per month.
How many children are on the Ontario autism waitlist in 2026?
As of March 4, 2026, 89,799 children are registered with the Ontario Autism Program. However, only 20,633 (23%) have an active Core Funding Agreement. This represents approximately 290% growth in registrations since 2019, with 69,166 children still waiting for essential funding.
Source: OAC FOI Mar 2026, FAO Report 2024 · Verify Link
Is the Ontario Autism Program underfunded?
Yes. The Financial Accountability Office (FAO) determined that $1.35 billion annually is needed to serve all registered children at 2018-19 service levels. The 2026-27 Ontario Budget allocated $965 million, leaving an estimated $385M+ annual shortfall. This gap is the primary driver of the perpetual 89,799+ child waitlist.
Source: Financial Accountability Office of Ontario [FAO] · Verify Link
Written by Spencer Carroll
Founder & Autism Advocate
Evidence 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
89,799
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
23%
Only 20,633 children have active funding agreements (23%) — less than one in four
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement