NDP chastises Ontario government for long autism therapy waits

Opposition critics say the government isn't moving quickly enough to reduce the number of autistic children waiting for specialized therapy.

New government figures show that 1,148 eligible children with autism are currently waiting for intensive behavioural intervention therapy, or IBI, up from 985 the year before.

NDP critic Andrea Horwath says parents are being forced to drain their savings and go into debt to pay for costly therapy that the province has promised to provide.

She says many parents are worried that their children are "rotting on the vine" because they're not getting the services they need to cope in school.

Premier Dalton McGuinty says his government has made progress in providing therapies to autistic children, but more needs to be done.

Education Minister Kathleen Wynne says the province is working toward providing a range of services for autistic children in schools — including IBI — which is key to helping kids get off the wait list.