Ontario's Autism Waitlist Just Got Worse. Here's What You Can Do Right Now.
Every child deserves support while families navigate the wait.
This week brought hard news for the families I work with every day. New data obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union shows that fewer than one in four kids on Ontario's autism waitlist are actually receiving funding for core clinical services. As of March 2026, 89,799 children were registered for the Ontario Autism Program. Only 20,633 had a signed funding agreement. Do the math and that's roughly 69,000 kids still waiting, some for five years or longer.
If you're one of those families, you already knew the wait was long. Now you have the numbers to prove it.
This post isn't about politics. It's about what you can actually do for your child this month, while that funding question works itself out.
What the New Numbers Actually Say
The figure making headlines this week is 22.98%. That's the share of waitlisted kids and youth who were enrolled in core clinical services (things like ABA, speech, and mental health support) as of March 2026, according to data reported by CTV News. A year earlier, the number was 23.19%. So despite a $186 million funding increase this year, bringing the OAP budget close to $1 billion, the share of families actually getting off the waitlist hasn't moved.
Fewer than 1 in 4 kids on Ontario's autism waitlist are enrolled in funded core clinical services, a share that has barely moved in the past year despite new provincial funding.
Source: Ontario Autism Coalition and OPSEU data, reported by CTV News, July 2026
Parent advocates point to one specific bottleneck: every child in the program has to go through an annual "Determination of Needs" interview, whether or not their needs have changed. An internal ministry briefing note from 2023 put the average length at two to three hours, sometimes four to five. Multiply that across tens of thousands of files and you can see where a lot of staff time goes instead of toward moving kids into service.
The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services says it's working to shorten these interviews and the scheduling delays around them. It also points out that every registered family, even those still on the waitlist, has access to a handful of supports right now. That's worth knowing, so let's get specific.
If your child was just diagnosed and you're registering for the first time, the number 69,000 probably feels abstract. If you've been on the list for three years already, it feels personal. Either way, the practical question is the same: what do you do between today and whenever that funding agreement arrives? If you're at the very start of this process, this guide on what to do right after a diagnosis walks through the first steps in more detail.
What's Free Right Now, Even While You're on the Waitlist
None of this cancels out the wait. But most of the families I talk to don't realize how much is already available to them simply because they're registered, funding agreement or not. Here's what to check on first.
- Foundational family services: workshops and resources open to every registered OAP family, waitlist or not
- Urgent response services: short-term help if your family hits a crisis point
- Caregiver-mediated early years programs: coaching for parents of younger children, no funding agreement required
- Entry to School program: transition support as your child starts school
- EarlyON Child and Family Centres: free, drop-in programs across Toronto, open to every family and not tied to OAP
- Your child's IEP: ask your school about an Individual Education Plan, which schools can set up independent of OAP status
None of these replace full core clinical funding. But most families I talk to don't know they're already entitled to the first four just by being registered. It's worth calling AccessOAP and asking directly what your family qualifies for today.
Why So Many Families Start Private Therapy While They Wait
Here's the part that doesn't show up in any government data. Early intervention has a window. The younger a child starts structured behavioural support, the more ground they tend to cover, and a five-year wait can mean missing that window entirely.
Think about a hypothetical, though a common one: a three-year-old is diagnosed in early 2026 and registers for OAP the same week. On the current numbers, that family could be waiting until 2031 for a funding agreement. By then, the child is eight. The early years, the ones every pediatrician and therapist will tell you matter most, are gone before the paperwork clears.
That's the math a lot of parents are quietly doing right now. Some are choosing to start private ABA therapy while their name sits on the OAP list, not instead of public funding, but alongside it. I write about this more in early intervention and why timing matters.
Private therapy isn't the right call for every family, and it isn't free. But for families who can make it work, it means your child starts building skills this year instead of five years from now.
OAP Funding and Private Therapy: How They Actually Compare
| Category | OAP (Public Funding) | Private Therapy (Mini Minds) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical wait to start | 5+ years, per current Ontario Autism Coalition data | Usually 1-2 weeks from first contact |
| Who delivers therapy | Assigned by your approved provider, may rotate | One consistent therapist for the full relationship |
| Session frequency | Set by your funding agreement | Set by you and your therapist together |
| Documentation for insurance/taxes | Provided by your OAP provider | Itemized receipts for private insurance and medical expense claims |
| Cost | Covered by funding agreement once approved | Private pay, hourly rate discussed upfront at your free consultation |
One thing I want to be direct about: Mini Minds is a private practice, not an OAP-approved provider. If your family has an active OAP funding agreement, that funding can only be used with providers registered through AccessOAP. What I can offer is a way to start now, without waiting on that agreement: one therapist, 15+ years of experience, and a plan built around your child instead of a program template. Many families also use their session receipts for private insurance reimbursement or as a medical expense on their taxes. more detail on OAP and private therapy together covers this in depth.
What to Ask a Private Therapist About Documentation
If you do decide to start private therapy while you wait, ask these questions upfront:
Will I get an itemized receipt after every session?
Does that receipt include a diagnosis code or service description my insurer will need?
Can you provide a letter of support if I need one for a tax claim or a future OAP application?
Is there a cap on how many sessions I can book per month?
A private therapist who works with Toronto families regularly should be able to answer all four without hesitation. If cost and insurance questions are on your mind, our full FAQ page covers pricing, receipts, and tax documentation in more depth.
Getting Started While You Wait
You don't have to solve the entire OAP situation to take the next step for your child. A free consultation is a conversation, not a commitment. Autism Therapy in Toronto: Complete Guide walks through what ABA looks like in more depth, and How It Works covers exactly what happens from that first call to your child's first session.
If your family is on the waitlist and you're ready to stop waiting for everything else to catch up, book a free consultation and let's talk about what's possible this month.
Frequently Asked Questions: OAP Waitlist
Does OAP funding cover therapy at Mini Minds?
No. Mini Minds is a private practice and isn't registered as an AccessOAP-approved provider, so OAP funding can't be applied directly to sessions here. Families typically use OAP funding with an approved provider and use Mini Minds as a private-pay option alongside or before that funding starts.
What can I access right now while my child is on the OAP waitlist?
Every registered family has access to foundational family services, urgent response services, caregiver-mediated early years programs, and the entry to school program, regardless of waitlist status. EarlyON centres and school-based IEP support are also available and aren't tied to OAP at all.
How long is the Ontario autism waitlist in 2026?
Recent data from the Ontario Autism Coalition puts the wait for core clinical services at five years or more for many families, with roughly 69,000 children currently waiting.
Can I use OAP funding and private ABA therapy at the same time?
You can start private therapy while your OAP application is pending, though OAP funding itself can only be used with an AccessOAP-approved provider. Many families use private therapy now and apply their session receipts toward insurance reimbursement or a medical expense tax claim in the meantime.
Is private ABA therapy covered by insurance in Ontario?
It depends on your plan. Many extended health plans cover behavioural therapy, psychological services, or autism supports under categories like mental health or behavioural health. Mini Minds provides detailed receipts that most families submit successfully.
