Sault grandmother upset with Ontario's new autism program

A grandmother of five children with autism in Sault Ste. Marie is calling out the provincial government, over Ontario’s revamped autism program.

Gayle Ouellette calls the newest program unacceptable.

"How can this government continually fail our children? How can they, it’s just not acceptable," Ouellette said.

She has been the primary caregiver for the kids, aged 10-19, for their entire lives.

"They’re the wind beneath my wings. They’re the ones that help me get through each day," she said.

But getting through each day has been made more difficult since Ontario scrapped and reinvented its autism program.

The new system provides children under 18 with $5,000 in a one-time payment if they meet the criteria.

"Five-thousand-dollars is not going to, to be, it’s like they’ll start something and we’ll get to a point. But it needs to be continuous. Autism is lifelong," Ouellette told CTV News.

Her eldest grandchild, 19, is now not eligible, despite needing the same care and therapy as years passed.

The Ontario Autism Coalition is against the age caps built into the province's autism program, which lessen the amount given to children at arbitrary ages.

Alina Cameron, vice president of research for the coalition, says it is among a number of shortfalls of the new program.

"Presently, there are over 55,000 children and youth waiting for core therapy services through the Ontario Autism Program. And just for a bit of perspective on that, my child was put on the wait list on October 30th 2017," Cameron told CTV News.

Ouellette and Cameron agree that more funding is necessary for the program, as well as a switch to a needs-based approach.

Sault grandma takes care of her five grandchildren with autism. Aug. 18/22 (Cory Nordstrom/CTV Northern Ontario)