Ford government underfunding ODSP, autism program

June 5, 2024

QUEEN'S PARK — Ontario Greens Leader Mike Schreiner released the following statement in response to the release of the FAO’s spending plan review of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, which estimates that the Province has allocated $3.7 billion less than required to fund existing programs and announced commitments from 2024-25 to 2026-27.

“The Ford government’s utter failure to adequately fund the services that Ontario’s children, seniors and folks with disabilities depend on is a total disgrace.

Under this government’s watch, Ontarians on social assistance are living in legislated poverty while kids with autism are stuck on a years-long waitlist to receive the supports they need.

Today’s report estimates that under current funding levels, just 10,000 children will have funding for core clinical services under the Ontario Autism Program. At a time when the program waitlist is over 60,000, this is unacceptable.

Ontarians are angry, and rightfully so. It’s time for the government to wake up, stop wasting a billion dollars on booze, and allocate those resources to the social services Ontarians need.”

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