(Canada) Durham, Ont: 2 autism providers to share almost $600K govt funding

July 25, 2025, Durham Radio: Two autism service providers in Durham receive provincial funding

Mount Etna Child & Family Services (MECFS) and One Care Inc. were both recipients of the Ontario Autism Program’s workforce capacity fund. It provides two-year grants ranging from $50,000 [$36K U.S.] to $400,000 [$292K U.S.], to help providers hire additional staff, increase staff hours, train employees, invest in technologies and reach rural and remote communities.

Mount Etna will receive a total of $400,000 [$292K U.S.], distributed by $200,000 [$146K U.S.] each year for the next two years.

One Care will receive a total of $379,946 [$277K U.S.], distributed by $189,973 [$139K U.S.] each year over the next two years.

This funding will help support more kids with autism access core clinical services through the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) – a key ask of the community.

Previous rounds of funding added 500+ clinicians and helped over 6,000 more kids.

“Children with autism and their families deserve real support, so I’m proud to say that our government is listening and taking action,” said Todd McCarthy, MPP for Durham. “Our investments here in Durham Region and throughout Ontario will help Autism service providers build and retain a stable, skilled teams that will allow more families to access the services they need close to home.”

Overall, the provincial government is investing more than $37-million [$27K U.S.] into 100 public and private autism service providers over the next two years.

As a small, community-based provider, MECFS is honoured to be a recipient of this OAP workforce capacity grant,” said Adina Yankov, Owner & Operator, Mount Etna Child & Family Services. “As a mom, clinician and a business owner, I’ve made significant personal investments to ensure our team has the training, tools, and support needed to deliver exceptional care to the families who trust us. Having the broader community now invest in us is not only validating—it’s a welcome lifeline. Small and medium-sized providers like ours are essential to meeting the diverse needs of families with Autistic children across the region, and this funding strengthens our ability to grow our team, expand access in Durham and beyond, and continue providing quality, compassionate services that help children thrive.” . . .