opinion: ontario’s autism funding crisis is hurting families

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behind every statistic about ontario’s autism funding, a real family is struggling.

by andrew mcnamara, ph.d.

published may 02, 2025

3 minute read

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3 minute read

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the ontario autism program has a $723 million budget, yet families go without services. money is swallowed by administration instead of reaching children who need it most. getty images

behind every statistic about ontario’s autism funding, a real family is struggling. parents quit jobs, marriages collapse under financial and emotional strain, and siblings take on responsibilities they shouldn’t have to bear. too many families are being torn apart because ontario refuses to provide the autism services their children need.

this isn’t just about funding—it’s about where the money is going. while ontario spends millions on administration, more than 60,000 children remain on waitlists for core clinical services, the therapies that could change their futures. parents wait years for help that may never come, draining their savings for private therapy or going without entirely. families break under the weight of a failing system. many parents leave their jobs, losing financial stability, while others max out credit cards or take on second mortgages just to afford therapy. some reach a crisis point where they can no longer care for their child, surrendering them to the child welfare system—not out of lack of love, but out of desperation.

ontario is not short on funding—it is spending it in the wrong places. the ontario autism program has a $723 million budget, yet families go without services. money is swallowed by administration instead of reaching children who need it most. meanwhile, waitlists grow longer, forcing thousands of families to fend for themselves.

the consequences are tragic. children miss critical intervention windows, leading to greater long-term needs. families reach breaking points, increasing demand for emergency mental health and social services. without early support, individuals with autism face lifelong barriers to independence, creating even greater public costs. ontario’s failure to invest in direct services now will cost taxpayers far more in the future.

community-based behavioural services for children with autism and developmental disabilities have existed in ontario for decades. surrey place centre has served the gta since the late 1960s. other providers include york behaviour management services, peel behaviour management, tri-county behavioural services in peterborough, ongwanada resource centre in kingston, bethesda in niagara, and several others.

i was introduced to applied behaviour analysis in 1979 at thistletown regional centre for children and adolescents. under the direction of dr. jeff sherman, children received skill-building and behaviour management programs in a five-day-per-week program. parents were trained in-home to apply these techniques. services were also offered in select public schools in etobicoke and north york.

the government should increase funding to these agencies to expand capacity. ontario has invested in college and university programs to train professionals in behavioural assessment and intervention. those who graduate at the masters level or above may be eligible for registration with the college of psychologists and behaviour analysts of ontario, yet many are unable to find stable work due to funding shortfalls. furthermore, aba is not only beneficial for individuals with autism but also for those with acquired brain injuries. services in hamilton, toronto, york region, simcoe county, and london demonstrate that when properly funded, ontario can deliver high-quality behavioural interventions that improve lives.

this crisis mirrors ontario’s failures in long-term care, where underfunding and misplaced priorities have left seniors without essential support. just as overwhelmed families struggle to care for aging loved ones, parents of children with autism face a lifetime of struggle. but while seniors’ families may bear the burden for a few years, parents of autistic children must navigate a broken system for decades. ontario wouldn’t tolerate seniors waiting years for basic care—so why do we accept it for children with autism?

the province must stop prioritizing bureaucracy over people. funding must go to frontline services, not administrative bloat. no child should wait years for care. parents shouldn’t have to choose between financial stability and their child’s well-being. autism doesn’t end at 18—services shouldn’t either.

the families i have met while providing clinical service are resilient, loving, and committed to their children’s futures. but they shouldn’t have to fight this hard. they shouldn’t have to sacrifice their jobs, health, and financial security because the province refuses to put funding where it belongs.

when families have the help they need, everyone wins—including ontario.

andrew mcnamara, one of the founders of the ontario association for behaviour analysis (ontaba), was a professor and coordinator at george brown college’s honours bachelor of behaviour analysis program. he also served as an adjunct professor at brock university, contributing to their applied behaviour analysis program. passionate about improving autism services in ontario, he advocates for evidence-based interventions and better support for families.