91,974
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
How large is the current OAP waitlist?
71,263 children (77.5%) are still waiting for core clinical services. The OAP registered population grew from about 23,000 in 2019 to 91,974 registered as of May 13, 2026.
MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · FAO Annual Reports · Verified 2026-08-10
The waitlist in brief
- Growth since 2019
- Ontario's autism waitlist grew ~300%, from about 23,000 in 2019 to 91,974 registered as of May 13, 2026
- Waiting for services
- 71,263 children (77.5%) are still waiting for core clinical services
- Service disruption
- COVID-19 suspended services in 2020 while new registrations continued
- Funding context
- Rising prevalence (1 in 50 children) combined with flat funding widens the gap every year
Sources: MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · Public Health Agency of Canada 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth · FAO Annual Reports · Verified 2026-08-10
Waitlist snapshots
The table shows the 2019 baseline and the latest registered total reported in the current source column.
| Reporting period | Registered children | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 baseline | 23,000 | FOI-derived public record |
| May 2026 | 91,974 | MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 |
Data sources
- MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026
- FAO Annual Reports
- Ontario Autism Coalition Research
Verified 2026-08-10
Sources: MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · Public Health Agency of Canada 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth · FAO Annual Reports · Verified 2026-08-10
Frequently Asked Questions
As of May 13, 2026 (MCCSS OAP progress-report column for May 13, 2026 (published by OAC from FOI records), source OAC-July-2026), 91,974 children were registered with the Ontario Autism Program; 20,711 (22.5%) had active Core Funding Agreements and 71,263 (77.5%) had no active agreement. The broader enrolled population (24,417) is not a count of children receiving a specific service.
The OAP registered population has grown ~300% since 2019, from about 23,000 to 91,974 registered as of May 13, 2026.
The 2019 OAP restructuring created a single provincewide waitlist, then COVID-19 suspended services in 2020. Rising autism prevalence (1 in 50 children, per Public Health Agency of Canada 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth) combined with flat funding created a structural gap that widens every year.
End The Wait Ontario sources waitlist data from Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS), Financial Accountability Office (FAO) reports, and Ontario Autism Coalition research.
The full picture
The Data Tells the Story
Share this data story with your network. The numbers speak for themselves.
- MCCSS Ontario Autism Program figures, May 13, 2026, obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition under Freedom of Information. Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (Ontario), obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition (May 13, 2026)
- Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services: Spending Plan Review (2024). Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (2024)
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Facts3
Sources2
22.5%
Only 20,711 children have active funding agreements (22.5%), 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
Last system verification: 2026-08-10. Next scheduled update: 2026-11-05.
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