The Passport Program: Funding for Community Life & Caregiver Respite (Adults 18+)

Offered by Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services

Ontario funding for eligible adults with developmental disabilities to support community participation, daily living, person-directed planning, and caregiver respite.

When your child becomes an adult, the children's supports fall away — and one of the most useful programs that replaces them is Passport. It's Ontario funding that helps an adult with a developmental disability take part in community life and live as independently as possible, and it gives caregivers a much-needed break. Here's how it works and how to apply.

What the Passport Program is

Passport is funded by the Ontario government (through the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services) and administered by local Passport agencies. It helps adults 18 and older with a developmental disability participate in their communities and live independently, and it helps their primary caregivers take a break from caregiving.

Importantly, Passport is a reimbursement program. You pay for approved (admissible) expenses yourself, submit your invoices and receipts, and get reimbursed up to the amount of your annual funding allocation. You can submit claims online through Passport eCLAIM.

Who is eligible

To qualify, a person must be:

• 18 years or older and an Ontario resident

• A person with a developmental disability, confirmed by a psychologist or psychological associate

• Either still in school and needing community support, or having left school and living with family or in a supportive arrangement

One honest and important point: eligibility runs through Developmental Services Ontario (DSO), and DSO's definition of a "developmental disability" requires significant limitations in both cognitive and adaptive functioning that began before age 18. In practice, this means an autistic adult without an intellectual disability may not qualify for Passport — a gap that surprises many families. If that's your situation, the employment and income supports (like ODSP) are usually the main route instead.

How much funding

• Once DSO confirms eligibility and makes a consented Passport referral, the published guidelines provide for a $5,500 annual allocation.

• Additional funding can go up to a maximum of $44,275 per year, depending on the completed needs assessment, priority and available government resources.

• Up to $2,500 of your funding can be used for person-directed planning (help building a life plan around the person's goals).

What Passport covers

• Community participation — recreation and social programs, community classes, club memberships, day programs, volunteering.

• Activities of daily living — support with personal care, meal preparation, and money management that helps the person live more independently.

• Caregiver respite — direct respite and, where approved in advance, indirect help (such as cleaning, meal preparation, or snow removal) that frees up the primary caregiver.

• Person-directed planning — facilitation to set goals and connect to community resources.

What it doesn't cover

Passport is meant to complement other programs, not replace them. It generally does not cover residential/housing costs, medical treatments or therapies already funded by OHIP, clinical therapies like ABA, services already provided through ODSP (such as drug benefits), post-secondary tuition payable through OSAP, or vehicle purchases and modifications.

How to apply

1. Contact Developmental Services Ontario (DSO) in your region — DSO manages the application for all provincially funded adult developmental services.

2. Confirm eligibility for funded adult developmental services (you can begin the process at age 16, but funding doesn't start until 18).

3. Request a referral to Passport once you're confirmed eligible.

4. DSO refers you to your local Passport agency to arrange approved funding and the required service agreement.

5. Once approved, you'll receive a service agreement to sign and return by the date on your approval letter.

Apply early. You can begin the DSO process at 16 for adult services starting at 18. Funding above the base allocation depends on assessed needs, priority and available resources; ask DSO about your circumstances and expected timing.

Good to know

• It's not income-tested. Passport funding is not based on your family's income or assets.

• It doesn't affect ODSP or taxes. Passport funding is not considered income, so it doesn't reduce ODSP and doesn't need to be declared on the recipient's taxes.

• No age cap. Passport funding continues past age 65.

• Claim deadlines apply. Eligible expenses through March 31, 2026 must be claimed by March 31, 2027. For later expenses, claims are due 12 months after the end of the fiscal year: expenses from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 are due by March 31, 2028. Confirm details with your Passport agency.

• Support workers you pay are responsible for reporting their own income to the Canada Revenue Agency.

Official links

• Passport Program — ontario.ca

• Passport Program guidelines — ontario.ca

• Developmental Services Ontario (apply here) — dsontario.ca

• Passport claims and forms — passportfunding.ca

Funding amounts, eligibility, and deadlines are set by the ministry and can change — please confirm current details with DSO or your Passport agency before applying.

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Eligibility

Applicants must be eligible for Ontario adult developmental services through Developmental Services Ontario. Contact DSO from age 16; Passport funding is for eligible adults age 18 and older.

How to apply

Contact the local Developmental Services Ontario office, complete the adult developmental-services application and assessment process, and discuss Passport eligibility and support needs.

At a glance

• Funding type: government funded
• Delivery: hybrid
• Services: Community participation, Daily living, Person-directed planning, Caregiver respite
• Cost notes: Individualized public funding; the approved amount depends on assessed needs and the provincial allocation process.

Source and verification

Last source check: August 5, 2026

Check the current program details at the cited source. Eligibility, funding, availability, fees, and application steps can change.

Open the official application or registration page

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