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, FAO Report 2024 · Open source record
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] · Open source record
Short-Term Family Support 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.
foundational
OAP Category
Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services
Provider-specific
Price
Request an itemized written quote
unavailable
Evidence Level
Claim-level review pending
Varies by program, provider, and region
Availability
Confirm directly
Time-limited support for specific family goals or challenges. It may offer guidance and strategies for daily life and family wellbeing. Suitability, evidence, availability, and expected outcomes depend on the individual service and provider. Confirm each claim before relying on it for a care decision.
Public coverage and private prices vary. Confirm current eligibility with the relevant program and request an itemized written quote from any private provider.
These are general process questions worth asking any short-term family support provider — not claims about a specific provider's answers.
Regions below list at least one service center offering short-term family support.
Browse the full Ontario provider mapRelated Resources
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
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
22.5%
Only 20,711 children have active funding agreements (22.5%), less than one in four
Next steps & sources
Direct action pathways, primary source data, and contextual verification.
Founder & Autism Advocate