Waiting for an autism assessment in Canada? What you can do now

How long is the wait for an autism assessment in Canada?

Waits are long in much of Canada, and no one publishes a national figure. The Canadian Paediatric Society said in 2019 that three guidelines recommend a wait of 3 to 6 months at most, but that referral to a team assessment "commonly takes more than a year in many Canadian communities" (Canadian Paediatric Society).

B.C. also has an online lookup of public assessment wait times (B.C. government). Wherever you live, ask your local service for its current wait. In Ontario, there is often a second long wait after the diagnosis, for Ontario Autism Program funding (see the Ontario section below).

Do you need a diagnosis to get help?

No. Much of the help for young children does not need a diagnosis. The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends that children who may be autistic are referred "immediately" for local early intervention services, such as infant development programs, speech-language therapy and occupational therapy, "pending a diagnostic assessment" (Canadian Paediatric Society). SickKids' AboutKidsHealth puts it simply: "You do not have to have a diagnosis to seek out supports" (AboutKidsHealth).

At daycare or school

Talk to your child's daycare staff or teacher now. Ask what they have noticed, and what they can try. At school, ask whether a written support plan would help: an IEP (individual education plan), or an IPP (individualized program plan) in Alberta. In Ontario, school boards can write an IEP for a student who has not been formally identified through an IPRC, the school board committee that identifies students with special education needs (Ontario).

What can I start at home now?

You can start today with approaches used widely with autistic children. None of them needs special equipment.

Visual supports

Visual supports are pictures, objects or written words that show your child what is happening and what comes next. A large US review counted 65 studies supporting them (NCAEP 2020), although most studies in that review were small (Hume and colleagues, 2021).

1. Make a First-Then board: one picture for what happens first and one for what comes next. Our printable First-Then board is free.
2. Use photos of your child's own things if symbols are hard to understand. ConnectABILITY's free Visuals Engine, from Community Living Toronto, builds printable picture supports in English or French (ConnectABILITY).
3. Put things your child enjoys on the board too, not only tasks they dislike.
4. When that works, try a visual schedule for part of the day, using our printable visual schedule.

See our guides to First-Then boards and visual schedules.

Communication strategies

You don't need to wait for speech-language therapy to start. Speech-Language & Audiology Canada says "There are no 'pre-requisites' required for an individual to be considered for AAC" (Speech-Language & Audiology Canada). AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) means pictures, signs, or a device or app that speaks. A review of studies with autistic children found that AAC did not hold back speech, and that gains in speech were modest (Schlosser and Wendt, 2008).

Try ten minutes of "together time" each day, when your child is calm:

• Get down to their level and watch what interests them. Don't ask for eye contact.
• Join in by copying what they do, with a similar toy of your own (Hanen Centre).
• Wait. Stop talking, lean in and give them time: the Toronto-based Hanen Centre suggests up to 10 seconds (Hanen Centre).
• Treat any look, sound, reach, sign or word as a turn, and answer it.
• Talk about what they're already looking at ("Car. Fast car.") rather than asking lots of questions.
• Play simple games with a pause, such as "Ready, set..." and wait for any signal before "go".

In two UK trials of PACT, a program in which a therapist coaches parents (and, in the second trial, school staff), parents learned to respond in step with their child, and children started more interactions with them. Gains in language were small or absent (Green and colleagues, 2010; Green and colleagues, 2022). See will my autistic child talk? for more.

A calm bedtime routine

Sleep is often hard for autistic children. A review of 11 studies found that behavioural sleep programs that include training for parents were "generally effective and valued by parents" (Kirkpatrick and colleagues, 2019).

• Do the same few steps in the same order every night, and show them as pictures.
• Switch screens off at least an hour before bed, as the Canadian Paediatric Society advises, and keep them out of the bedroom: screens in children's bedrooms are linked with less sleep (Canadian Paediatric Society).
• Tell your family doctor if your child snores loudly, chokes or seems to stop breathing in their sleep.

Notes of what you see

Notes help professionals see your child's everyday life, not just one appointment. They also help when you fill in forms for the assessment or for programs such as FSCD.

A one-page profile

A one-page profile is a short summary of your child: what they love, how they communicate, what upsets them and what helps them feel calm. It helps new people, such as a babysitter, doctor or daycare worker, get to know your child quickly. Our one-page profile template is free to print.

What help can I get in my province before a diagnosis?

Each province runs its own services, so the route to an assessment, and the help while you wait, differ.

Ontario

• Who can diagnose. Ontario lists family physicians, pediatricians, developmental pediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, psychological associates and nurse practitioners. Five regional diagnostic hubs also assess children: contact your local hub to find out how to apply (Ontario). Start by talking to your family doctor or nurse practitioner.
• Speech and language. The Preschool Speech and Language Program serves children "from birth until they start school", and "You do not need a referral from your doctor" (Ontario). You can contact your local program directly.
• After the diagnosis. To join the Ontario Autism Program (OAP), a child needs a written diagnosis from a qualified professional (Ontario). Children are invited to core clinical services "in the order that they registered" (Ontario).

British Columbia

• Who can diagnose. Pediatricians, psychiatrists and registered psychologists assess children through the public BC Autism Assessment Network (BCAAN), which is free and needs a referral from your doctor, or privately, which you pay for (B.C. government). Family doctors in B.C. cannot diagnose autism, but they can refer you (ACT).
• Guidance while you wait. Autism Information Services has support specialists who can talk through what to do next, at 1-844-878-4700, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The province's page for waiting families also lists services to contact now, including Child Development Centres, the Infant Development Program, Supported Child Development, and speech and occupational therapy (B.C. government).
• Funding is changing. As of September 29, 2026, Autism Funding, which needs a diagnosis, is accepting new applications until March 2027 (B.C. government). It ends on March 31, 2027, and a new Children and Youth Disability Benefit is due to open to new families on April 1, 2027 (B.C. government). The province says the new benefit is based on a child's "level of support needs, not their diagnosis or family income" (B.C. government). B.C. votes on October 24, 2026 (CBC), so check the province's pages before you rely on these dates.

Alberta

• Who can diagnose. Family doctors can refer your child to a developmental pediatrician, which is free under Alberta Health Care. Some children are referred to Child Development Services at the Alberta Children's Hospital, and some families pay a psychologist for a private assessment (Autism Calgary).
• FSCD. Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) can help with respite, counselling, child care supports, aides and some costs linked to your child's disability (Alberta). You can apply before a diagnosis: the province accepts medical documentation that your child "is awaiting a diagnosis" (Alberta). Autism Calgary says families were waiting around 2 to 3 years for basic agreements as of January 2026 (Autism Calgary). So apply early.

Other provinces

• Saskatchewan: contact a local autism program or an ASD consultant. The consultant screens your child, links you to services and, if needed, refers your child for a diagnostic assessment (Saskatchewan).
• Manitoba: for preschool children eligible for Children's disABILITY Services, the Child Development program serves children "with any developmental needs". Its Autism Outreach program needs a diagnosis (Manitoba).
• Nova Scotia: if you have concerns, talk to your child's health care provider. Direct Family Support for Children pays up to $2,200 a month for respite to qualifying families caring for a child with a disability at home, and the province says there is no waitlist (Nova Scotia).

Should we pay for a private assessment?

That is your choice, and it depends on your circumstances. A private assessment can be quicker, but you pay the whole cost. These are single clinics' published prices, checked on September 29, 2026:

Alberta psychologists set their own fees, and their association's recommended fee for 2026 is $235 an hour (Psychologists' Association of Alberta). In Ontario, the same Burlington clinic notes that a diagnosis from a developmental pediatrician is "usually covered under OHIP" (CASE Psychology).

Before you pay:

1. Check the report will be accepted. For the Ontario Autism Program, the written diagnosis must include your child's full name and date of birth, the assessment date, a statement that your child meets the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder, and the professional's name and credentials (Ontario). For B.C. Autism Funding, a private assessment must include two tools, the ADOS-2 and the ADI-R, and children under 6 need a multidisciplinary diagnosis. The pediatrician report for under-6 private applications has been temporarily waived since October 8, 2025 (B.C. government).
2. Check who will do it. Look the professional up on their college's public register, such as the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario (CPBAO), the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC) or the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP).
3. Get the total price in writing, with what it includes: interviews, testing, a written report and a feedback meeting.
4. Ask your extended health plan whether it covers any of the cost, before you book.
5. Ask your family doctor whether your child can keep their place on the public waiting list.

How do I chase the referral and use the waiting time?

Check the referral has arrived, then keep in touch.

1. Ask whoever referred your child, such as your family doctor, to confirm it was sent, and ask for a copy.
2. Contact the service to check it has arrived. Ask how long the current wait is, what help they offer before the assessment, and whether they keep a cancellation list.
3. Keep a note of every call, email and letter, with dates.
4. Send the service anything new in writing, such as a daycare report or a big change in your child's needs.
5. Make sure your child has had recent vision and hearing checks and has seen a dentist, as AboutKidsHealth suggests (AboutKidsHealth).
6. Get ready for the day: fill in any forms the service sends, gather report cards, and ask the daycare or school for an update on how your child is doing (same source).

When should I ask for an urgent review?

Some changes should not wait for the assessment. See your family doctor or pediatrician promptly, and tell the assessment service in writing, if your child:

• loses words, social skills or other skills they used to have, which the Canadian Paediatric Society lists as a red flag at any age (Canadian Paediatric Society)
• may be having seizures
• is hurting themselves, or getting injured often
• is eating very few foods, losing weight or not growing as expected
• snores loudly, chokes or seems to stop breathing when asleep
• is often sent home from daycare or school, or your family is reaching breaking point

How do I look after myself, and where can I find support?

Waiting is hard, and your well-being matters too.

• Talk to other parents who are waiting. AboutKidsHealth suggests local and virtual support groups (AboutKidsHealth).
• Ask about respite. In Alberta, FSCD can fund respite, and in Nova Scotia, Direct Family Support for Children can too (see above). 211 can find local services, including respite and parenting support, 24 hours a day in more than 150 languages (211).
• Call an autism support line. Autism Canada has a national support line at 1-800-983-1795 (Autism Canada). Autism Ontario, ACT in B.C. and Autism Society Alberta also give families information and support.
• If you're struggling, talk to your family doctor. You can call or text the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline at any time. The Hope for Wellness Help Line supports Indigenous peoples 24 hours a day at 1-855-242-3310 (Hope for Wellness), and Kids Help Phone supports children and teens, including brothers and sisters, at 1-800-668-6868 (Kids Help Phone).