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With 71,263 children waiting for OAP Core Clinical Services, autism is a significant voter issue in the 2026 Ontario election. This page summarizes publicly available party positions, it is not an endorsement of any party.
Direct answer
Ontario Autism Coalition FOI · Verified 2026-08-10
Important disclaimer
This page reflects publicly available statements as of April 2026. Parties update platforms frequently, verify current positions directly with each party before making voting decisions. This resource is informational only and does not constitute an endorsement of any party or candidate.
In brief
| Party and leader | Public record | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive Conservative (PC)Premier Doug Ford (governing party) | The 2026-27 Ontario Budget allocates $965M to the Ontario Autism Program for 2026-27. | Ontario Budget 2026, Chapter 1B |
| Progressive Conservative (PC)Premier Doug Ford (governing party) | Ontario described its needs-based autism program and services in a 2022 program update. | Ontario Newsroom (2022) |
| Ontario NDPMarit Stiles, Ontario NDP Leader | No sourced statement recorded yet. | |
| Ontario Liberal PartyBonnie Crombie, Ontario Liberal Leader | This section does not include a dated primary-source citation for a specific OAP position. | |
| Ontario Green PartyMike Schreiner, Ontario Greens Leader | This section does not include a dated primary-source citation for a specific OAP position. |
Find your MPP candidate
Search ontario.ca for your electoral district and candidate contact information.
Ask a direct question
Ask each candidate: "What specific steps will you take to reduce the OAP waitlist? What is your party's position on the $385M funding gap identified by the FAO?"
FAO 2020 benchmark and Ontario Budget 2026-27.
Ontario Autism Coalition voter resources
The OAC provides voter engagement tools and candidate questionnaire responses at ontarioautismcoalition.com.
Attend a candidate event
Candidate debates and town halls are opportunities to raise autism services directly. Bring data: 71,263 children waiting, $385M estimated gap.
Ontario Autism Coalition FOI of OAP bi-weekly progress reports, May 13, 2026; FAO 2020 benchmark and Ontario Budget 2026-27.
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
This page links dated primary sources for the statements it includes. It does not establish a complete or current platform for every party; consult each party’s published materials for its current position.
This page does not establish whether any party has made a costed commitment to clear the waitlist.
Search Ontario Hansard at ola.org for your MPP's name to find recorded speeches and votes on autism-related bills. You can also contact your MPP's constituency office directly, attend town halls, or email through the Ontario Autism Coalition's advocacy resources at ontarioautismcoalition.com.
The Ontario Autism Coalition (OAC) is the primary provincial advocacy organization for families. The OAC regularly publishes information on party positions and provides voter engagement resources at ontarioautismcoalition.com. This page provides a factual summary of publicly available party statements but is not an endorsement of any party.
Ontario's next fixed election date is June 2026 under the Election Act. Elections can occur earlier if the Legislature is dissolved. Verify the current election schedule at ontario.ca. Families are encouraged to register to vote, engage their local candidates on autism services, and contact the Ontario Autism Coalition for up-to-date voter resources.
Whether before or after the election, your MPP needs to hear from families affected by autism service gaps.
Directly paired with official government filings, FOI releases, and audited datasets.
91,974
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
According to the FAO (2020 report), OAP funding covers less than one-third of estimated need at 2018-19 service levels
$965M
Ontario allocated $965M to the Ontario Autism Program in 2026-27
22.5%
Only 20,711 children have active funding agreements (22.5%), less than one in four
Founder & Autism Advocate
Lived experience: Parent of autistic child navigating OAP system