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Public source register
This page shows what counts as a source, how figures are verified, where uncertainty remains, and how to request a correction.
Direct answer
Ontario Autism Coalition FOI releases · Financial Accountability Office of Ontario · Verified 2026-09-08
In brief
· Independent legislative officeThis page explains how End The Wait Ontario separates official program mechanics from independent evidence and dated FOI-derived analysis.
How to use the register
Compare records only after checking the date, definition, population, and denominator. A government program page can establish the mechanics of eligibility or application; an independent legislative analysis can establish spending or capacity findings; and an FOI-derived dataset can document a dated snapshot. These source types answer different questions. The source register keeps them separate so a later comparison does not turn an estimate into an official count or a program description into evidence that the system is working. When a figure is calculated from a dataset, the page identifies the inputs, method, and limits before using the result in an advocacy or policy argument.
Source types and what each source can establish
| Source | Best used to establish |
|---|---|
| Official program guidance | Eligibility, application mechanics, and service descriptions |
| Independent analysis | Spending, capacity, outcomes, and accountability findings |
| FOI-derived dataset | A dated record snapshot, with definitions and limitations attached |
Next steps: read the full methodology or see how to report a correction.
The standard
A link is not enough. The definition and date must survive.
A claim is presented as verified only when the underlying record can be identified and its date, scope, and terminology are clear. Derived calculations are labelled as analysis. Advocacy estimates and family reports are identified as such.
Correction commitment
When a material factual error is confirmed, the relevant page should be corrected and its source date updated. Questions about interpretation remain separate from corrections to the underlying record.
How to report an errorVerification workflow
Start with legislation, official program guidance, FOI material, government financial analysis, or the underlying research paper.
Separate official counts, derived calculations, advocacy estimates, family reports, and interpretation. They are not interchangeable.
Compare dates, definitions, denominators, and later releases before treating two figures as comparable.
Time-sensitive figures stay tied to a source date and are replaced when a newer verified record becomes available.
Primary-source register
Last reviewed: July 2026
Program spending, budget analysis, cost projections, and the share of spending reaching core clinical services.
Open sourceUsed for
Official program rules, eligibility, service descriptions, and public guidance for the Ontario Autism Program.
Open sourceUsed for
Published summaries of ministry records. The current site snapshot is May 13, 2026: 91,974 registered, 20,711 with active funding agreements, and 71,263 waiting.
Open sourceUsed for
International autism information and the importance of timely, evidence-based psychosocial intervention.
Open sourceUsed for
Clinical guidance on autism screening, identification, diagnosis, and intervention pathways.
Open sourceUsed for
Disability-rights framework used to explain the policy and rights context, not as proof of a specific legal outcome.
Open sourceUsed for
Percentages, gaps, per-child averages, and projections may be calculated from primary records. The inputs and formula should remain inspectable, and the result should not be described as an official government figure.
Provider availability, local waits, survey findings, and advocacy estimates can change quickly. Those claims should use ranges, attribution, or explicit caveats rather than false precision.
Questions about the evidence
End The Wait Ontario uses primary records first: Financial Accountability Office analysis for spending and capacity, official Ontario program guidance for mechanics and eligibility, FOI-derived public records for OAP snapshots, and named clinical or international authorities for health and rights context.
Each figure is tied to a source date, definition, and scope. The review process locates the underlying record, classifies the claim, cross-checks denominators and dates, and labels derived calculations or advocacy estimates instead of presenting them as official counts.
Independent evidence on spending, capacity, and system performance comes primarily from the Financial Accountability Office, FOI-derived public records, the World Health Organization, clinical professional bodies, and rights frameworks. Ontario government pages are used for program mechanics, eligibility, and official process descriptions.
Guides and tools related to this page.
What practical steps can parents take while waiting?
To register for the Ontario Autism Program, a child must be under 18, live in Ontario and have a written autism diagnosis from a qualified professional. Suspicion alone does not meet the registration requirement. Register through AccessOAP and supply the supporting documents it requests. The diagnosis must identify the child, assessment date, diagnostic statement and professional’s name and credentials.
Source: Ontario government — Ontario Autism Program eligibility and registration · Open source record
Can autistic students get an educational assistant (EA)?
School boards may assign educational assistants (EAs) to autistic students based on needs identified through the IEP process. How EAs are allocated varies by board and school, so ask the principal how support is assigned for your child. Pending verification: Editorial review not recorded. Excluded from citation-ready exports.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Education — special education · Open source record
Directly paired with official government filings, FOI releases, and audited datasets.
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
$965M
Ontario allocated $965M to the Ontario Autism Program in 2026-27
The FAO estimated $1.35 billion in annual OAP need at 2018-19 service levels for approximately 40,700 children in its 2020 report
Founder & Autism Advocate
Lived experience: Parent of autistic child navigating OAP system