Ontario government to reverse direction on autism program and provide families with needs-based support

The Ontario government will reverse its direction on the province’s autism program and provide families with needs-based support, after months of protests from parents and an internal review that called for an immediate reset of its strategy.

Todd Smith, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, announced on Monday that the government will move to design a funding program based on the needs of individual children. The new program will work within a $600-million budget, Mr. Smith told reporters at a press conference in Toronto.

“It’s clear to me that we didn’t get the redesign right the first time. I’m here to tell you we will now,” he said.

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