Some parents are so frustrated with the wait time for Ontario's autism program that they are moving out of province to seek better care.
Marie Lee found out her daughter wouldn't be able to receive funding from the program until at least 2027, so she decided to move her family to Alberta.
Her daughter, who turns three in March, was diagnosed with Level 3 autism, epilepsy and sensory processing disorder in 2020 _ and the family can't afford the out-of-pocket expenses to pay for the support she needs.
Lee spent the last year researching which province would provide the best resources, and she settled on Alberta.
She applied for funding before her family arrived in the province this week, and they have already secured provincial funding to help her daughter attend a daycare that has autism-specific services.
Ontario's government has been heavily criticized for its approach to the autism program, and missed a target to clear part of that backlog by last year.
The province did not address questions about recent enrolment numbers or the average wait time to receive funding.