Preparing content
Max Annual OAP Funding
Average Wait for Services
Receive Zero Core Funding
The children these therapies serve
Choosing evidence-based care matters most when funded support is scarce — and Ontario families are choosing in a system that has left most of them without any.
Registered
88,175Children registered
Total in the Ontario Autism Program queue
CBC FOI Jan 2026
Funded
20,666Have active funding
Just 23.4% of registered children
CBC FOI Jan 2026
Waiting
67,509Still waiting
Registered. Diagnosed. Un-funded.
CBC FOI Jan 2026
Verified — CBC FOI Jan 2026
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Children registered | 88,175 |
| Have active funding | 20,666 |
| Still waiting | 67,509 |
Medical Disclaimer
Information about autism, therapies, and interventions on this page is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Every child is unique. Consult qualified healthcare professionals to determine appropriate interventions for your child's specific needs.
Goals are specific, functional, and measurable.
Progress is tracked over time (not just "felt better").
Parents are coached to generalize skills between sessions.
The provider explains risks/limits and avoids guarantees.
Plan changes when data shows low progress.
Guarantees or "cure" language.
Vague outcomes with no measurement plan.
Pressure to pre-pay large packages immediately.
Claims of secrecy ("doctors don't want you to know").
Discouraging other supports or medical care.
Not all therapies have equal research support. Here is a practical framework for evaluating where a therapy sits on the evidence spectrum.
Multiple randomized controlled trials with consistent positive results across research teams.
Examples: ABA/EIBI (Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention), Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBI), some speech-language approaches
At least one well-designed study showing benefits, but not yet replicated by independent teams.
Examples: Some social skills group interventions, specific parent-mediated models
Insufficient research to determine effectiveness. May still be helpful, but the evidence is not there yet.
Examples: Many sensory-based interventions, animal-assisted therapy, music therapy (research ongoing)
Research shows no benefit or active harm. Avoid regardless of anecdotal claims.
Examples: Facilitated communication, chelation therapy, secretin, bleach-based protocols (MMS)
With OAP funding capped at $21,000 per year and waits of 5+ years, every dollar matters. Unproven treatments do not just waste money -- they consume the critical early-intervention window.
Use the therapy hub for speech therapy, OT, and provider selection resources.
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.
Related Resources
Verified Facts
Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) delivered to children aged 18–30 months produced significant gains in IQ, adaptive behaviour, and autism severity — some children no longer met diagnostic criteria at follow-up
Cochrane systematic review finds evidence that early intensive behavioural intervention (EIBI) may produce positive effects on adaptive behaviour and communication for young children with ASD (low certainty of evidence)
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement
Evidence supports autism screening and intervention commencing in the first 2 years of life — earlier identification directly enables earlier intervention during the highest neural plasticity window
88,175 — children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program