Balance Support & Self Care Studios Welcomes New Provincial Budget Investments into the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) and Developmental Services

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Hamilton, Ontario - March 27, 2026

Balance Support & Self Care Studios thanks Premier Doug Ford, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, Michael Parsa, and Minister of Finance, Peter Bethlenfalvy for the investments included in Ontario’s 2026-27 Budget.

The government is providing $965 million, including $186 million in new funding, to the Ontario Autism Program (OAP).

In our meetings with Minister Parsa and his team, we've described the obstacles that families in underserved groups and regions face when trying to find appropriate services for their autistic children. And, drawing from our own lived-in experience, we have shared how challenging it is to be waitlisted for supports. We are hopeful this investment will help build service capacity and bring more families into Core Clinical Services (the direct funding part of the OAP). However, it must be brought up that other disabled and neurodivergent children are not eligible for the OAP, and don't have a comparable program to access services and supports. A program that helps these children is long overdue.

We are also pleased to see the inclusion of new funding to support people with developmental disabilities. The budget includes an additional $407 million over three years “to help community organizations manage rising operational costs and continue delivering vital services… for individuals with special needs and developmental disabilities, as well as for survivors of gender-based violence or human trafficking.”   

The continued inflation indexing of the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD) will make a positive and tangible difference for those who rely on social assistance to manage the rising cost of living.

We are encouraged to see the government dedicate $53 million over three years "to expand supportive housing initiatives for vulnerable populations and enhance access to critical mental health services and housing supports".

While we await further details, we are optimistic these funds will translate into meaningful improvements on the ground. Ensuring that families and individuals have access to effective and timely services can make a real difference in their quality of life.

For more information, please contact our team at balanceSSCS@gmail.com

Balance Support & Self Care Studios was created with parents and caregivers of individuals with diverse needs in mind. We recognize the value of the staff and community. We are committed to striving for excellence through inclusiveness, team collaboration, quality of services, and the participation and contributions of volunteers and community members.

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