The McGuinty Liberals have closed the door on essential supports for children with autism and their families in Northern Ontario, says NDP Children and Youth Services Critic Andrea Horwath.

“The McGuinty Liberals brutal approach of denying children with autism their therapy is callous and heartless. How can the McGuinty Liberals so cruelly stand by and watch as these services, that entire communities of children and parents rely on, are cutback?” asked Horwath.

Horwath made her comments after news broke that the McGuinty Liberals didn’t provide the funding it promised to the not-for-profit Child Care Resources to provide intensive behavioural therapy, leaving the agency in a deficit.

The shortfalls are expected to result in service reduction of up to 50 per cent, and a severely limited capacity in the already under-serviced North Region for their Autism Intervention Program. Parents are being warned of an increased wait time of approximately 24 months for treatment.

“Parents of children with autism have begged the McGuinty Liberals to eliminate the waiting list of more than 1,000 children. They have pleaded for increases in funding for autism services and supports. They have been denied by the McGuinty Liberals yet again, with devastating consequences—especially for communities in the North,” said Horwath.

The Regional Autism Intervention Program provides essential services to children with autism and their families across Northern Ontario, including Sudbury, Manitoulin, Sault Ste Marie, Algoma, Thunder Bay and Kenora/Rainy River.

Horwath demanded an immediate increase to the funding of autism services, and full funding required to the Child Care Resources to restore the Autism Intervention Program.

“Each day that children with autism languish on waiting lists and are denied access to services, is another day that their potential for success and growth is thwarted by the McGuinty government’s inaction. It’s unconscionable,” said Horwath.