$965M
Ontario allocated $965M to the Ontario Autism Program in 2026-27
What does the funding comparison show?
$385M (FAO 2020 at 2018-19 levels vs. 2026-27 budget) $33,170 is the FAO 2020 estimated cost per child; $10,492 is the current budget per registered child.
MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · FAO 2024 spending review · Verified 2026-08-10
The funding comparison in brief
- Annual funding gap
- $385M (FAO 2020 at 2018-19 levels vs. 2026-27 budget)
- Per-child estimate
- $33,170 is the FAO 2020 estimated cost per child; $10,492 is the current budget per registered child.
- Lapsed funding
- Hundreds of millions in allocated funding went unspent (lapsed) according to FAO reports
- Children waiting
- 71,263 children waiting for core clinical services funding
Sources: FAO 2024 spending review · MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · Verified 2026-08-10
Explore the funding data
Preparing interactive data story
Sources: MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · FAO 2024 spending review · Verified 2026-08-10
| Metric | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| OAP Annual Budget | $965M | Ontario Budget 2026-27 |
| Total OAP Spending (2023-24) | $691.2M | FAO 2024 spending review |
| Core Clinical Services Spending | $307.3M (44.5%) | FAO 2024 spending review |
| AccessOAP Operations | $57.9M | Current AccessOAP operations estimate |
| FAO 2020 estimated cost per child | $33,170 | FAO 2020 estimate |
| Current budget per registered child | $10,492/year | Ontario Budget 2026-27 |
| ETWO scenario, not a budget requirement | $2.09B–$2.71B | See /cost-to-clear-the-waitlist for the three scenarios |
| Lapsed Funding (unspent) | Hundreds of millions | FAO 2024 spending review |
| Children waiting for funded services | 71,263 | MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 |
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)
Related guides
Guides and tools related to this page.
Sources on this page
The source chain stays visible.
Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.
Facts5
Sources3
According to the FAO (2020 report), OAP funding covers less than one-third of estimated need at 2018-19 service levels
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
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.
About this page
Check the author’s context, review method, and how to report an error.