The wait list for autism treatment in Ontario continues to grow, according to both parents and advocates, who claim children aren’t getting the support they need.
The Ontario Autism Coalition says a new survey paints a devastating picture of the realities facing autistic people and their families, concluding the Ford government has abandoned more than 60,000 children and youth who are still on the waitlist for core clinical services.
“We are a province wealthy enough to spend billions on fantasy tunnels, and yet when vulnerable children and families come to us and tell us what they need in order to thrive …this government says wait,” said Alexa Gilmour, the NDP’s Ontario Autism Critic.
When the Conservatives came to power, they promised to clear the province-wide backlog. Instead, it has nearly tripled, and the average wait time for children and youth to access services is more than five years, according to the survey, forcing parents to make impossible choices.
“Parents choosing between rent and therapy, teachers trying to include kids with no supports,” said Alina Camerson, President of the Ontario Autism Coalition.
Less than a quarter of children registered in the Ontario Autism Program have been able to access the therapy they’ve been promised. But Minister Michael Parsa, who oversees the autism file, insists the government is making progress.
“We increased funding so that there’s capacity across the province so that every single family has access to these programs,” he told reporters at Queen’s Park.
Forty-seven percent of those surveyed reported there are not enough supports in schools, with nine per cent unable to attend due to a lack of resources.
“A child with autism has the same right as any other child to be at school,” said Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles. “So I think it’s outrageous and I don’t think the government is getting the message.”
Education Minister Paul Calandra says he’s heard from educators across the province, and he plans to act on that advice, adding that while the funding is there, it just needs to be redirected. But a new report from Ontario’s financial watchdog says the funding is not there, estimating there will be service cuts to education if spending doesn’t increase.
“If you’re a parent and you think education is bad today, guess what the Conservatives are gonna be making it even worse,” said Ontario NDP Education Critic Jessica Bell.
“We are funding the education system at the highest level that it has ever been funded in the province of Ontario,” replied Calandra.
For its part, the Ontario Autism Coalition is calling for emergency funding in order to get kids off the waitlist.
