Funding a GPS tracker in Ontario

Ontario is the one province where an official list we read names a GPS tracking device: the Ontario Autism Program's list of eligible expenses. This page summarizes that, and the other Ontario programs worth asking about, with links to the official pages. It is general information, not advice, and we cannot tell you whether your child qualifies.

Last updated 7 October 2026. Written by StepSafe, which sells a GPS tracker for children who wander, so read the product parts with that in mind.

Read this first

This is general information, not legal or medical advice. We are not benefits advisors and we have no relationship with any program named here. No product of ours is covered, approved or endorsed by any of them, and we cannot tell you whether your child qualifies.

Programs change. Treat this page as a list of questions to ask, confirm everything with the agency before you spend money, and keep your receipts.

Last checked: 7 October 2026. That is the date we last read the official pages linked below.

Programs in Ontario to ask about

One official list we read names a GPS tracking device: Ontario Autism Program funding. The other programs below describe broader kinds of support, such as help to keep a child safe in their daily routines, without naming devices.

Ontario Autism Program (OAP)

Government of Ontario, with AccessOAP as the program's independent intake organization

Children and youth diagnosed with autism by a qualified professional are eligible for the program, and receive services and supports until age 18. Registration is through AccessOAP.^[2]

For families with a childhood budget or interim one-time funding, Ontario's published list of eligible expenses includes a GPS tracking device in the technology category. The list allows one technology item every two years to help your child reach their goals, and says to consult a professional to help choose the right technology.^[1]

Our Ontario Autism Program funding guide covers this in more detail, including how core clinical services funding works differently.

Safety devices: The eligible expenses list names a GPS tracking device, one technology item every two years. Whether a particular purchase, or its monthly service plan, is approved is the program's decision. Confirm before you buy.

Special Services at Home (SSAH)

Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services

SSAH helps families caring for a child with a developmental or physical disability, with funding to buy services and supports. Among the examples of day-to-day support it lists is "support to keep the child safe in their daily routines".^[3]

Its list of expenses that cannot be reimbursed includes "phone and internet services at home, as well as cell phone device and cell phone services", and items funded through other government programs.^[3] Ask how that applies before you buy a device with a cellular plan.

SSAH is discretionary: funding is provided according to available resources.^[3]

Safety devices: May cover safety or assistive technology; ask your coordinator. We did not find an official page that names GPS trackers for wandering.

Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD)

Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services

ACSD gives eligible parents and guardians a monthly payment to help with some of the extra costs of caring for a child who has a severe disability. Its examples are travel to appointments related to the child's disability, special shoes and clothes, and parental relief such as respite.^[4]

Eligibility and the amount depend on household income, family size, the severity of the child's disability and the extraordinary costs related to it.^[4]

Safety devices: A payment toward the extra costs of a child's disability, not a device program. Ask what it is meant to cover before you plan around it.

Worth knowing

Ontario's Assistive Devices Program helps people with long-term physical disabilities pay for equipment such as wheelchairs and hearing aids.^[5] Its list of equipment it does not cover includes "life-alert systems" and "cellphones, including smartphones".^[5] We did not find a device category a GPS tracker would fit, so we have not listed it as a route.

Who qualifies, in general terms

To register for the OAP, a child must be under 18, live in Ontario and have a written diagnosis of autism from a qualified professional.^[2]

For SSAH, a child must need extra support beyond what is expected for their age because of a physical or developmental disability, be under 18, live in Ontario and be legally entitled to live in Canada, and live at home with their main caregiver (or separately, without other government-funded residential services).^[3]

ACSD is for a parent or guardian of a child under 18 who lives at home and has a severe disability, and it is income tested.^[4]

Only the agency can decide whether your child is eligible. These are the general rules as published, not a test you can apply yourself.

How to apply, step by step

If your child has an autism diagnosis, register for the OAP through AccessOAP. For questions about registering, AccessOAP's toll-free number is 1-833-425-2445.^[2]
Before you spend OAP funds on technology, read the current list of eligible expenses and talk to a professional, as Ontario suggests.^[1]
Apply for SSAH online or on paper. The application needs documentation of your child's functional limitations from a regulated health professional.^[3] Describe the wandering in the areas of support section.
Apply for ACSD online, or send a paper application to your local ministry regional office.^[4]
If an ACSD decision goes against you, you can ask for an internal review within 30 days of receiving it, and then appeal to the Social Benefits Tribunal.^[4]

What to ask your caseworker or coordinator

Questions to take to the meeting

Does my funding stream (childhood budget, interim one-time funding or core clinical services) allow a GPS tracking device, and what do you need from me?
For SSAH, could a locating device count as support to keep my child safe in their daily routines, given the exclusion for cell phone devices and services?
What documentation do you need from my child's doctor or therapist about the wandering?
Do you need quotes, a product description, or a specific vendor?
Does the program pay for an ongoing service plan, or only for the device?
If it is not approved, can I have the decision in writing, and how do I appeal?

For a sample request letter and a note on how wandering is recorded in a medical file, see what to say when you ask.

Programs change

Program rules, eligibility and application steps are updated regularly. We last read these pages on 7 October 2026. Before you rely on anything here, confirm it with the agency or your coordinator. If you find something out of date, email support@stepsafekids.com and we will fix it.

Other provinces

Not listed? Read the Canada overview for the federal tax measures that apply in every province and territory.

What we make

StepSafe makes a clip-on cellular GPS tracker for children who wander. StepSafe ships in early 2027. Nothing on this page means any program will pay for it.

See the shop, or start with our free safety toolkit, which works whatever device you choose.