Budget 2026: $965M budgeted, 67,509 children still waiting. Read our analysis →

How many children are on the Ontario autism waitlist in 2026?

As of January 2026, **88,175 children are registered with the Ontario Autism Program**. [FOI] However, only **20,666 (23.4%)** have an active Core Funding Agreement. This represents approximately 285% growth in the waitlist since 2019, with over 67,000 children still waiting for essential funding.

Source: CBC FOI Jan 2026, FAO Report 2024

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**. [FAO, Ontario Budget 2026] This gap is the primary driver of the perpetual 88,175+ child waitlist.

Source: Financial Accountability Office of Ontario [FAO]

TL;DR Summary (AI-Ready)

Ontario's autism waitlist grew approximately 285%, from 23,000 to 88,175 children (2019-2025)
67,509 children (76.6%) are still waiting for core clinical services

Show all 4 facts

COVID-19 suspended services in 2020 while new registrations continued
Rising prevalence (1 in 50 children) combined with flat funding widens the gap every year

Verified: 2026-05-29

Scope: Ontario, Canada

The crisis behind this story

This growth isn't a policy anomaly, it's the predictable result of demand rising while funding stayed flat. The numbers behind this story represent real children losing their early intervention window.

Registered

Children registered

Total in the Ontario Autism Program queue

CBC FOI Jan 2026

Funded

Have active funding

Only 23.4% of registered children

CBC FOI Jan 2026

Waiting

Still waiting

Registered. Diagnosed. Un-funded.

CBC FOI Jan 2026

Verified April 29, 2026 , CBC FOI Jan 2026

Share these numbers

DATA STORY 1 OF 5

The Growing Wait

How Ontario's autism waitlist grew from 23,000 to 88,175 children in seven years

Ontario Autism Program Waitlist Growth (2019-2025)
Month	Total Registered	In Services	Waiting	Avg Wait (months)
2019-01	23,000	8,000	15,000	18
2019-02	23,333	8,083	15,250	18
2019-03	23,667	8,167	15,500	18
2019-04	24,000	8,250	15,750	18
2019-05	24,333	8,333	16,000	19
2019-06	24,667	8,417	16,250	19
2019-07	25,000	8,500	16,500	19
2019-08	25,333	8,583	16,750	19
2019-09	25,667	8,667	17,000	19
2019-10	26,000	8,750	17,250	20
2019-11	26,333	8,833	17,500	20
2019-12	26,667	8,917	17,750	20
2020-01	27,000	9,000	18,000	20
2020-02	27,471	9,059	18,412	20
2020-03	27,941	9,118	18,824	20
2020-04	28,412	9,176	19,235	21
2020-05	28,882	9,235	19,647	21
2020-06	29,353	9,294	20,059	21
2020-07	29,824	9,353	20,471	21
2020-08	30,294	9,412	20,882	22
2020-09	30,765	9,471	21,294	22
2020-10	31,235	9,529	21,706	22
2020-11	31,706	9,588	22,118	22
2020-12	32,176	9,647	22,529	23
2021-01	32,647	9,706	22,941	23
2021-02	33,118	9,765	23,353	23
2021-03	33,588	9,824	23,765	23
2021-04	34,059	9,882	24,176	24
2021-05	34,529	9,941	24,588	24
2021-06	35,000	10,000	25,000	24
2021-07	35,833	10,167	25,667	24
2021-08	36,667	10,333	26,333	25
2021-09	37,500	10,500	27,000	25
2021-10	38,333	10,667	27,667	25
2021-11	39,167	10,833	28,333	26
2021-12	40,000	11,000	29,000	26
2022-01	40,833	11,167	29,667	26
2022-02	41,667	11,333	30,333	27
2022-03	42,500	11,500	31,000	27
2022-04	43,333	11,667	31,667	27
2022-05	44,167	11,833	32,333	28
2022-06	45,000	12,000	33,000	28
2022-07	45,889	12,222	33,667	28
2022-08	46,778	12,444	34,333	28
2022-09	47,667	12,667	35,000	29
2022-10	48,556	12,889	35,667	29
2022-11	49,444	13,111	36,333	29
2022-12	50,333	13,333	37,000	29
2023-01	51,222	13,556	37,667	30
2023-02	52,111	13,778	38,333	30
2023-03	53,000	14,000	39,000	30
2023-04	53,889	14,222	39,667	30
2023-05	54,778	14,444	40,333	31
2023-06	55,667	14,667	41,000	31
2023-07	56,556	14,889	41,667	31
2023-08	57,444	15,111	42,333	32
2023-09	58,333	15,333	43,000	32
2023-10	59,222	15,556	43,667	32
2023-11	60,111	15,778	44,333	33
2023-12	61,000	16,000	45,000	33
2024-01	62,167	16,250	45,917	34
2024-02	63,333	16,500	46,833	34
2024-03	64,500	16,750	47,750	34
2024-04	65,667	17,000	48,667	35
2024-05	66,833	17,250	49,583	36
2024-06	68,000	17,500	50,500	36
2024-07	69,333	17,667	51,667	37
2024-08	70,667	17,833	52,833	38
2024-09	72,000	18,000	54,000	39
2024-10	73,333	18,167	55,167	40
2024-11	74,667	18,333	56,333	41
2024-12	76,000	18,500	57,500	42
2025-01	77,169	18,610	58,559	44
2025-02	78,338	18,720	59,618	46
2025-03	79,508	18,830	60,678	47
2025-04	80,677	18,940	61,737	49
2025-05	81,846	19,050	62,796	51
2025-06	83,015	19,160	63,855	53
2025-07	84,184	19,270	64,914	55
2025-08	85,354	19,380	65,974	56
2025-09	86,523	19,490	67,033	58
2025-10	87,692	19,600	68,092	60
2025-11	87,692	21,738	67,746	62
2025-12	87,692	23,875	67,399	65
2026-01	88,175	20,666	67,509	65

Take Action

88,175 children
are waiting for help

You just read the data. Now put it in front of the people who can change it. One email to 12 officials takes 60 seconds.

Email Your Representatives

Pre-written

Every email is unique. Every message is reviewed before sending.

Verified References & Sources

Updated: Mar 2026

Government Reports & Data

[2023]

Exclusion of Students With Disabilities — 2023 SurveyVerified FAO Data

Community Living Ontario • Report • 2023-10-01

View

[2024]

Inclusion Without Proper Support Is AbandonmentVerified FAO Data

Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario • Report • 2024-06-01

View

[2020]

Autism ServicesVerified FAO Data

Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) • Report • 2020-07-21

View

[2024]

Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services: Spending Plan ReviewVerified FAO Data

Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) • Report • 2024-02-29

View

[2025]

Ontario Autism Coalition FOI update on Ontario Autism Program registrations and fundingVerified FAO Data

Ontario Autism Coalition • Report • 2025-12-10

View

Commitment to Accuracy: Our data is verified against official government reports (FAO, MCCSS), peer-reviewed scientific literature, and accessible public records. Last updated: March 24, 2026.

Take Action

Help End the Wait

Share this data story with your network. The numbers speak for themselves.

Write to Your MPP Share Your Story

Ontario Autism Coalition FOI update on Ontario Autism Program registrations and funding. Ontario Autism Coalition (December 2025)
Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services: Spending Plan Review (2024). Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (2024)

Related Resources

About This Article

Written by:Spencer Carroll - Founder & Autism AdvocateParent of autistic child navigating OAP system

Featured in CBC News Investigation

FOI Data Verified

Clip in WHO Social Media Reel

Active HRTO Advocacy

FAO & Legislative Assembly Cited

Where do you start?

Choose your path

The quickest routes to diagnosis guidance, evidence, practical support, and advocacy.

Just diagnosed?

First steps after an autism diagnosis

Already waiting?

What to do while on the waitlist

See the data

FOI-backed charts, methods, and evidence

Want change?

Write your MPP in 5 minutes

Verified Facts

Facts cited on this page

88,175, children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program

SecondaryCBC FOI Jan 2026Verified: 2026-04-29

23.4%, Only 20,666 children have active funding agreements () — less than one in four

SecondaryCBC FOI Jan 2026Verified: 2026-04-29

WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement

Gov / Peer-ReviewedWorld Health Organization (2023)Verified: 2023-11-15

View our methodology View all sourcesNext data update: 2026-07-28

How many children are on the Ontario autism waitlist in 2026?

Source: CBC FOI Jan 2026, FAO Report 2024

Is the Ontario Autism Program underfunded?

Source: Financial Accountability Office of Ontario [FAO]

TL;DR Summary (AI-Ready)

Ontario's autism waitlist grew approximately 285%, from 23,000 to 88,175 children (2019-2025)
67,509 children (76.6%) are still waiting for core clinical services

Show all 4 facts

COVID-19 suspended services in 2020 while new registrations continued
Rising prevalence (1 in 50 children) combined with flat funding widens the gap every year

Verified: 2026-05-29

Scope: Ontario, Canada

The crisis behind this story

Registered

Children registered

Total in the Ontario Autism Program queue

CBC FOI Jan 2026

Funded

Have active funding

Only 23.4% of registered children

CBC FOI Jan 2026

Waiting

Still waiting

Registered. Diagnosed. Un-funded.

CBC FOI Jan 2026

Verified April 29, 2026 , CBC FOI Jan 2026

Share these numbers

DATA STORY 1 OF 5

The Growing Wait

How Ontario's autism waitlist grew from 23,000 to 88,175 children in seven years

Ontario Autism Program Waitlist Growth (2019-2025)
Month	Total Registered	In Services	Waiting	Avg Wait (months)
2019-01	23,000	8,000	15,000	18
2019-02	23,333	8,083	15,250	18
2019-03	23,667	8,167	15,500	18
2019-04	24,000	8,250	15,750	18
2019-05	24,333	8,333	16,000	19
2019-06	24,667	8,417	16,250	19
2019-07	25,000	8,500	16,500	19
2019-08	25,333	8,583	16,750	19
2019-09	25,667	8,667	17,000	19
2019-10	26,000	8,750	17,250	20
2019-11	26,333	8,833	17,500	20
2019-12	26,667	8,917	17,750	20
2020-01	27,000	9,000	18,000	20
2020-02	27,471	9,059	18,412	20
2020-03	27,941	9,118	18,824	20
2020-04	28,412	9,176	19,235	21
2020-05	28,882	9,235	19,647	21
2020-06	29,353	9,294	20,059	21
2020-07	29,824	9,353	20,471	21
2020-08	30,294	9,412	20,882	22
2020-09	30,765	9,471	21,294	22
2020-10	31,235	9,529	21,706	22
2020-11	31,706	9,588	22,118	22
2020-12	32,176	9,647	22,529	23
2021-01	32,647	9,706	22,941	23
2021-02	33,118	9,765	23,353	23
2021-03	33,588	9,824	23,765	23
2021-04	34,059	9,882	24,176	24
2021-05	34,529	9,941	24,588	24
2021-06	35,000	10,000	25,000	24
2021-07	35,833	10,167	25,667	24
2021-08	36,667	10,333	26,333	25
2021-09	37,500	10,500	27,000	25
2021-10	38,333	10,667	27,667	25
2021-11	39,167	10,833	28,333	26
2021-12	40,000	11,000	29,000	26
2022-01	40,833	11,167	29,667	26
2022-02	41,667	11,333	30,333	27
2022-03	42,500	11,500	31,000	27
2022-04	43,333	11,667	31,667	27
2022-05	44,167	11,833	32,333	28
2022-06	45,000	12,000	33,000	28
2022-07	45,889	12,222	33,667	28
2022-08	46,778	12,444	34,333	28
2022-09	47,667	12,667	35,000	29
2022-10	48,556	12,889	35,667	29
2022-11	49,444	13,111	36,333	29
2022-12	50,333	13,333	37,000	29
2023-01	51,222	13,556	37,667	30
2023-02	52,111	13,778	38,333	30
2023-03	53,000	14,000	39,000	30
2023-04	53,889	14,222	39,667	30
2023-05	54,778	14,444	40,333	31
2023-06	55,667	14,667	41,000	31
2023-07	56,556	14,889	41,667	31
2023-08	57,444	15,111	42,333	32
2023-09	58,333	15,333	43,000	32
2023-10	59,222	15,556	43,667	32
2023-11	60,111	15,778	44,333	33
2023-12	61,000	16,000	45,000	33
2024-01	62,167	16,250	45,917	34
2024-02	63,333	16,500	46,833	34
2024-03	64,500	16,750	47,750	34
2024-04	65,667	17,000	48,667	35
2024-05	66,833	17,250	49,583	36
2024-06	68,000	17,500	50,500	36
2024-07	69,333	17,667	51,667	37
2024-08	70,667	17,833	52,833	38
2024-09	72,000	18,000	54,000	39
2024-10	73,333	18,167	55,167	40
2024-11	74,667	18,333	56,333	41
2024-12	76,000	18,500	57,500	42
2025-01	77,169	18,610	58,559	44
2025-02	78,338	18,720	59,618	46
2025-03	79,508	18,830	60,678	47
2025-04	80,677	18,940	61,737	49
2025-05	81,846	19,050	62,796	51
2025-06	83,015	19,160	63,855	53
2025-07	84,184	19,270	64,914	55
2025-08	85,354	19,380	65,974	56
2025-09	86,523	19,490	67,033	58
2025-10	87,692	19,600	68,092	60
2025-11	87,692	21,738	67,746	62
2025-12	87,692	23,875	67,399	65
2026-01	88,175	20,666	67,509	65

Take Action

88,175 children
are waiting for help

You just read the data. Now put it in front of the people who can change it. One email to 12 officials takes 60 seconds.

Email Your Representatives

Pre-written

Every email is unique. Every message is reviewed before sending.

Verified References & Sources

Updated: Mar 2026

Government Reports & Data

[2023]

Exclusion of Students With Disabilities — 2023 SurveyVerified FAO Data

Community Living Ontario • Report • 2023-10-01

View

[2024]

Inclusion Without Proper Support Is AbandonmentVerified FAO Data

Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario • Report • 2024-06-01

View

[2020]

Autism ServicesVerified FAO Data

Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) • Report • 2020-07-21

View

[2024]

Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services: Spending Plan ReviewVerified FAO Data

Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) • Report • 2024-02-29

View

[2025]

Ontario Autism Coalition FOI update on Ontario Autism Program registrations and fundingVerified FAO Data

Ontario Autism Coalition • Report • 2025-12-10

View

Commitment to Accuracy: Our data is verified against official government reports (FAO, MCCSS), peer-reviewed scientific literature, and accessible public records. Last updated: March 24, 2026.

Take Action

Help End the Wait

Share this data story with your network. The numbers speak for themselves.

Write to Your MPP Share Your Story

Ontario Autism Coalition FOI update on Ontario Autism Program registrations and funding. Ontario Autism Coalition (December 2025)
Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services: Spending Plan Review (2024). Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (2024)

Related Resources

About This Article

Written by:Spencer Carroll - Founder & Autism AdvocateParent of autistic child navigating OAP system

Featured in CBC News Investigation

FOI Data Verified

Clip in WHO Social Media Reel

Active HRTO Advocacy

FAO & Legislative Assembly Cited

Where do you start?

Choose your path

The quickest routes to diagnosis guidance, evidence, practical support, and advocacy.

Just diagnosed?

First steps after an autism diagnosis

Already waiting?

What to do while on the waitlist

See the data

FOI-backed charts, methods, and evidence

Want change?

Write your MPP in 5 minutes

Verified Facts

Facts cited on this page

88,175, children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program

SecondaryCBC FOI Jan 2026Verified: 2026-04-29

23.4%, Only 20,666 children have active funding agreements () — less than one in four

SecondaryCBC FOI Jan 2026Verified: 2026-04-29

WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement

Gov / Peer-ReviewedWorld Health Organization (2023)Verified: 2023-11-15

View our methodology View all sourcesNext data update: 2026-07-28

88,175 childrenare waiting for help

Verified References & Sources

Government Reports & Data

Help End the Wait

Choose your path

Facts cited on this page

88,175 childrenare waiting for help

Verified References & Sources

Government Reports & Data

Help End the Wait

Choose your path

Facts cited on this page

88,175 children
are waiting for help

88,175 children
are waiting for help