provincial · British Columbia

Autism funding (under 18)

BC's Autism Funding program pays families directly for autism-related services outside the school day. Children under 6 can get up to $22,000/year. Ages 6–18 can get up to $6,000/year. Families choose their own service providers and are paid back for the invoices they submit. Up to 20% of the funding can be used for travel, training, and equipment.

Check if I qualify

Verified Aug 22, 2026
provincial program · British Columbia

Families & kids

At a glance

Worth:: age-based funding blocks
Who:: Your child is under 19, has an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, and lives in BC.
Apply:: Official program page

What it could be worth

Amount

age-based funding blocks

Children under 6: up to $22,000/year.
Ages 6 to 18: up to $6,000/year.
Travel, training, and equipment: up to 20% of the yearly funding.
Administration: up to $100/month for children under 6, or $50/month up to $600 per funding period for ages 6–18.

Example: A family with a 4-year-old uses the $22,000 funding for a behaviour consultant and a speech-language pathologist. They keep the consultant's travel costs within the 20% limit. They submit invoices to the MCFD (Ministry of Children and Family Development) autism funding portal to be paid back.

How it benefits you

The funding fits your child and your choices. It can pay for behaviour consultants or analysts, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists. For children under 6, it can also pay for family counselling and therapy.
Money can also pay for out-of-school learning support and tutoring (ages 6–18).
Up to 20% of the funding for either age group can cover travel, training, and equipment (TTE) needs.
You can use a set monthly amount for administration costs (paperwork and planning): up to $100/month for children under 6, or $50/month up to $600 per funding period for ages 6–18.
Families in the program are also exempt from the BC Parks Social Services camping fee.

What you need to qualify or apply

Eligibility

Your child is under 19, has an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, and lives in BC.
The funding covers services your child receives outside the school day. School-based inclusion funding is separate and is run by the school district.
Families must choose providers from the list of MCFD-eligible professionals.

How to apply

Get an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis from a qualified specialist. This can be through the BC Autism Assessment Network or a private diagnostician.
Contact the MCFD Children and Youth with Special Needs office in your region to ask to enroll.
Register with the Autism Funding portal and set up agreements with your providers.
Pay for eligible services. Then submit invoices and receipts to be paid back within the funding period.

Documents you may need

Autism spectrum disorder diagnosis report.
Invoices and receipts from providers on the MCFD-eligible list.