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 · 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 91,974+ child waitlist.
Source: Financial Accountability Office of Ontario [FAO] · Verify Link
Caregiver-Mediated Early Years Programs is typically considered for autistic children and, in some cases, adults navigating the challenges this service addresses. Providers assess fit on an individual basis — the notes below describe general timing and frequency, not a guarantee of eligibility or outcome.
caregiver mediated
OAP Category
Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services
Free (OAP-funded)
Cost to Families
Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services
strong
Evidence Level
WHO Standards for Autism Intervention
5+ years
OAP Wait Time
MCCSS Ontario Autism Program figures as of May 13, 2026, released in response to an Ontario Autism Coalition Freedom of Information request and published by the OAC in July 2026; part of the same bi-weekly OAP Core Clinical Services progress-report series as FOI release CSS2026-0749 (to Mar 4, 2026) and the CBC News FOI investigation (Jun 2024 – Jan 2026).
OAP-funded programs for young children aged 12-48 months. They teach caregivers strategies to support their child's development at home or in the community. While Caregiver-Mediated Early Years Programs is considered highly effective, especially during the critical window of ages 12-48 months for maximum impact, families depending on the Ontario Autism Program face a severe bottleneck. Currently, 77.5% of registered children are waiting to access core services like Caregiver-Mediated Early Years Programs.
Caregiver-Mediated Early Years Programs is a government-funded OAP service. There is no cost to families. Your child must be registered with the Ontario Autism Program to access this service. Contact your AccessOAP service coordinator to confirm eligibility and availability in your region.
These are general process questions worth asking any caregiver-mediated early years programs provider — not claims about a specific provider's answers.
Related Resources
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.
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
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism. Timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement
1 in 50
According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, about 1 in 50 children and youth aged 1 to 17 in Canada had an autism diagnosis