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Year-by-year review of the OAP, waitlist, and policy changes
End The Wait Ontario updates archive · Verified 2026-08-10
Every year in this series is measured against the children still waiting.
| Record | Summary | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Public care comes with no political debt.Latest statement · 2026-10-06 | Getting a public service should never depend on who you campaign for, donate to or volunteer with. Four questions for the Government of Ontario. | End The Wait Ontario |
| 2025 Year in Review2025 | CBC News reported 88,175 children registered by January 7, 2026; the FAO found the program underfunded. | CBC News · FAO |
Ontario's figures, as of May 2026 (MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026).
Registered
91,974
91,974Children registered
Total registered in the Ontario Autism Program
Funded
20,711
20,711Have active funding
22.5% of registered children
Without active agreement
71,263
71,263Without an active funding agreement
An administrative status; it does not confirm current service delivery.
Figures as of · MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · checked
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Children registered | 91,974 |
| Have active funding | 20,711 |
| Without an active funding agreement | 71,263 |
Source: MCCSS Ontario Autism Program figures, May 13, 2026, obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition under Freedom of Information. Data as of May 13, 2026; last verified 2026-08-10.
How fast is the Ontario autism waitlist growing?
The Ontario autism waitlist has grown by approximately ~300% since 2019. While the government officially registers thousands of new children annually, only a tiny fraction are moved into core clinical services, causing the waitlist to compound year over year.
Source: CBC FOI Jan 2026; FAO Report 2023-24
How has the OAP changed over time?
The OAP shifted from direct service (pre-2019) to a "childhood budget" check system (2019-2020), back to a "needs-based" program (2021-present). Each reset caused massive delays. The current system is needs-based but lacks the funding to serve the 71,263 waiting children (excludes children awaiting diagnosis, MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026).
Source: Political History of OAP
Why is there a backlog in Ontario autism services?
The waitlist for core autism services has grown dramatically. FOI data showed 91,974 children registered (May 2026), representing a massive increase from previous years. Because invitations to core services are limited by fixed budgets, tens of thousands of children remain unserved, creating multi-year backlogs.
Source: MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026 · Open source record
Take Action
91,974 children are registered with the Ontario Autism Program. Email your MPP today, your voice matters. Source: MCCSS Ontario Autism Program figures, May 13, 2026, obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition under Freedom of Information; data as of May 13, 2026.
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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
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Founder & Autism Advocate
Lived experience: Parent of autistic child navigating OAP system