“Three years after a revamp to the Ontario Autism Program was promised to improve access, families say they’re losing faith in the province. Since 2019, when the province announced its plan for a new funding and services model for the program, the number of children registered and waiting to enrol has grown to more than 50,000, according to provincial figures, So far, only 600 children have been included in the needs-based program, which got underway in March and provides funding for ‘core services’ based on the individual need of each child. Those services include applied behavioural therapy and speech language pathology, which are important for many children with autism spectrum disorder, a neurological condition that can affect how they communicate and relate to the world around them. An Ontario pledge to clear wait lists by 2020 hasn’t been met.”

“Ontario’s new autism services program will launch in March for 600 children following months of delay, but critics said it would do little to help thousands of families who remain waiting for support. Social Services Minister Todd Smith announced the launch on Wednesday, saying the program will include applied behaviour analysis, speech language pathology, and occupational therapy. It will expand through the year to include 8,000 more children by the end of 2021, Smith said, noting that the phased approach will allow the government to refine the program.”

“The new program has the same annual budget of $321 million as the Liberal program.”