Ontario's Assistive Devices Program (ADP) pays 75% of the approved price of most devices, such as a wheeled walker, a wheelchair or a CPAP machine. For hearing aids, it pays 75% up to $500 per ear. You need a valid Ontario health card and a physical disability that means you will need the device for 6 months or longer. Your income does not matter.
The catch is the order. For most devices, a registered professional has to assess you, a registered seller has to submit the form, and ADP has to approve it before you buy. Buy first, and you can end up paying the full price yourself.
Below: who qualifies, what ADP pays, the steps in order, the truth about free scooters, and where to turn when ADP says no. Every rule here comes from ontario.ca and the program's own manuals, read on October 26, 2026. Rules can change, so the device page on ontario.ca always has the last word.
Who qualifies for the Assistive Devices Program in Ontario?
You qualify if you live in Ontario, have a valid Ontario health card, and will need the device for 6 months or longer because of a physical disability. You also have to meet the medical rules for the specific device. ADP does not look at your income, and its general rules set no age limit.
A few details matter for seniors:
- No income test. The Ontario government says plainly, "We do not consider your income."
- No age limit in the general rules. A few items have their own age rule, and two of them favour people 65 and up (home oxygen and the insulin syringe grant, both in the table below).
- Six months or longer. ADP is for a long-term need. A walker you need for three weeks after a minor surgery does not qualify.
- Not if someone else already pays. You cannot use ADP for equipment the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) already pays for. The same goes for a Group A veteran whose equipment Veterans Affairs Canada already covers.
Still deciding between a cane, a walker and a rollator? Our guide to choosing a walker, rollator or cane explains the differences.
What is covered under the Assistive Devices Program?
ADP covers more than 8,000 items in about a dozen groups, including mobility aids, hearing aids, visual aids, breathing equipment, diabetes supplies, artificial limbs and braces. For most devices it pays 75% of an approved price. The table shows what it pays for the devices seniors ask about most, and who has to assess you first.
| Device | What ADP pays | Who assesses you first |
|---|---|---|
| Wheeled walker or rollator, forearm crutches | 75% of the ADP price. You pay 25%. | An ADP-registered occupational therapist or physiotherapist |
| Manual or power wheelchair, power scooter | 75% of the ADP price. You pay 25%. Scooters have extra rules. | An ADP-registered occupational therapist or physiotherapist |
| Hearing aids | 75%, up to $500 per ear ($1,000 for a pair) | An ADP-registered audiologist or another ADP-registered hearing aid professional. You also need a prescription from an audiologist or doctor. |
| Magnifiers and special glasses | 75%, up to a set amount | An ADP-registered eye doctor (ophthalmologist), optometrist or vision rehabilitation worker |
| CPAP machine for sleep apnea | 75% of the ADP price. You pay 25%. | A doctor at an ADP-registered sleep clinic |
| Home oxygen | 75%, or 100% if you are 65 or over | Your doctor or nurse practitioner |
| Insulin syringes and needles (age 65+, living at home, insulin every day) | A $170 grant each year, paid to you | You apply yourself and buy at any Ontario store |
| Anything above, if you receive Ontario Works or ODSP | Up to 100% of the ADP amount | Same as above |
Source: Government of Ontario, Assistive Devices Program device pages and manuals, read October 26, 2026. ODSP is the Ontario Disability Support Program.
For most devices, Ontario's Assistive Devices Program will not pay for one you bought before it said yes, and it never looks at your income.
ADP also covers white canes and reading machines, each with its own ADP-registered assessor: an orientation and mobility instructor for a white cane, and an authorizer at an ADP designated centre for a reading machine. It covers communication aids, artificial eyes and limbs, breast prostheses, custom braces, compression garments, insulin pumps, glucose monitors, ostomy and feeding supplies, and ventilators. Each group has its own page on ontario.ca with its own rules.
How much does ADP pay, and what will you still pay?
For most devices, ADP pays 75% of a price it has approved, and you pay the other 25%. For some devices, such as hearing aids, ADP pays 75% only up to a set maximum, so your share can be more than 25%. A few items, like insulin syringes, are grants paid straight to you.
Here is what that looks like in practice:
- Fixed price devices (most walkers, wheelchairs, scooters and CPAP machines). ADP pays the seller 75% directly. For mobility aids, the seller cannot charge you more than the ADP price for the device that was approved. You pay any extras you choose on top.
- Maximum contribution devices (hearing aids, some visual aids). ADP pays 75% up to its maximum. The seller sets the full price, so ask for the total before you agree.
- Grants. ADP pays you a set amount, and you buy from any store you like.
If you receive Ontario Works, the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) or Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities, ADP can pay up to 100% of its approved amount.
Three costs often surprise people:
- The assessment. ADP does not set or pay the assessor's fee. Some therapists and clinics charge one, so ask when you book.
- Batteries. ADP does not pay for batteries, even for a device it helped you buy.
- Repairs. ADP does not pay for repairs. Your warranty may cover them, so keep the paperwork.
How do you apply for the Assistive Devices Program?
You do not apply to ADP on your own for most devices. A registered professional assesses you and fills out the form with you, you choose a registered seller, and the seller sends the form to ADP. Only buy the device after ADP approves it.
The steps, in order:
- See your doctor if you need a diagnosis. Many people start here. Your family doctor or another doctor you see confirms the condition behind the need.
- Book an assessment with an ADP-registered professional. ADP calls this person an authorizer. For mobility aids it is an occupational therapist or physiotherapist. For hearing aids it is an audiologist or another ADP-registered hearing aid professional. To find one near you, email adp@ontario.ca and ask for a list.
- Fill out the application form together. The authorizer recommends the device and completes the form with you. You sign it. If you cannot sign, someone with legal authority can sign for you, such as your spouse, your child or your power of attorney.
- Choose an ADP-registered seller. ADP calls this the vendor. The province suggests you shop around, because services vary from one vendor to another.
- The vendor submits the form. The vendor finishes its part and sends the form to ADP electronically.
- Wait for approval. ADP aims to review an application within 8 weeks. If it approves, it tells your vendor and authorizer, and they contact you about delivery.
- Then get the device. ADP only pays the amount it approved after the approval date.
Do not order or buy the device until ADP has approved it. If you buy first, you can be left paying the full price.
If ADP says no, you can appeal in writing by mail, email or fax. Include your name, contact details, health card number, the decision and why you think it is wrong. Your authorizer can help you decide whether an appeal makes sense.
Does ADP cover hearing aids?
Yes. ADP pays 75% of the cost of a hearing aid, up to $500 per ear, or up to $1,000 for a pair. That amount includes the hearing aid, the earmold and the dispensing fee. You need a prescription from an audiologist or a doctor, and an assessment from an ADP-registered provider, before you buy.
The steps for hearing aids:
- Get a hearing test from an audiologist or another hearing aid professional registered with ADP.
- Get a prescription. In Ontario, only an audiologist or a doctor can write one.
- Fill out the ADP form with the professional who tested you.
- Choose an ADP-registered vendor. The vendor helps finish the form and submits it.
Buying through ADP brings two protections. The vendor must give you at least a 30-day trial in writing, and the hearing aid must carry at least a 2-year warranty from the day it is fitted. ADP does not pay for hearing aid batteries, or for a hearing aid lost within its 5-year funding period.
Because of the $500 cap, any hearing aid fitting (the aid, earmold and fitting fee) priced above about $667 per ear leaves you paying more than 25%. Our breakdown of what hearing aids cost in Canada shows typical prices and what other programs and insurance can add.
How do I get a free mobility scooter in Ontario?
For most people, there is no free scooter. ADP pays 75% of a power scooter, or 100% if you receive Ontario Works or ODSP. But it pays only when a scooter is your basic way to get around every day and you cannot push a manual wheelchair yourself.
ADP's mobility manual sets four conditions for a scooter. Your authorizer has to confirm all four:
- You need power mobility for your basic, everyday getting around, because you cannot push a manual wheelchair on your own.
- You do not need special seating, now or in the near future.
- The scooter is not meant to replace a car or other transportation.
- You can get on and off the scooter by yourself.
The manual also says the device must be used every day, inside your home and to get in and out of it. A scooter that would be nice to have for trips to the store, but is not needed for daily getting around at home, is not funded. ADP also does not pay for equipment needed only now and then, or as another way to travel.
If ADP says no, the province's own application sheet points to other routes. Your private insurance may pay. You can buy reconditioned equipment. Agencies such as Easter Seals, the Red Cross and community service groups may help.
How often can you replace a device through ADP?
For walkers, wheelchairs, scooters and hearing aids, ADP expects a device to last 5 years. That does not mean a new one every 5 years. You apply again, and the device has to be worn out or no longer meet your needs. If your condition changes, you can apply sooner.
ADP calls the 5 years a "designated funding period." A few rules sit around it:
- Changed needs. If your condition, abilities or body size change and the device no longer works for you, you can apply for a replacement before 5 years.
- Worn out. After the period, a device that is worn out, out of warranty and not worth repairing can be replaced through a new application.
- Lost or stolen. ADP does not replace a lost or stolen device within the 5 years. The province suggests insurance for this.
- Misuse. ADP does not replace a device damaged by misuse or neglect.
What does ADP not cover?
ADP does not pay for most bathroom and home safety equipment, home changes, lifts, beds, batteries or repairs. Its list of items not covered includes grab bars, bath seats, raised toilet seats, stair lifts, hospital beds and "life-alert systems." For mobility, it does not cover standard canes or walkers without wheels.
The province lists these as not covered, among others:
- Bath and shower aids, such as benches, chairs and bath lifts
- Grab bars, raised toilet seats and commodes
- Stair lifts, chair lifts and other lifting devices
- Home renovations, including ramps and porch lifts
- Hospital beds and mattresses
- Blood-pressure monitors
- Cellphones and smartphones
- Smoke detectors and fire alarms
- Life-alert systems
- Batteries and repairs
- Standard walking canes, walkers without wheels and transport chairs
Equipment needed only for sports, work or school is not covered either.
Does ADP cover a medical alert or life-alert system?
No. ADP lists "life-alert systems" among the items it does not cover. Its policy manual also says it will not list a product that is used only to address a safety need. In practice, ADP will not help pay for a medical alert pendant or a similar personal alarm.
So if you or your parent wants a medical alert, ADP will not share the cost. If you are starting to compare options, our look at senior monitoring devices in Canada sets out what each type actually tells a family.
Where can you get help with what ADP does not pay for?
Three other programs can fill some gaps. March of Dimes Canada runs Ontario's Home and Vehicle Modification Program for ramps, stair lifts and bathroom changes. Ontario Health atHome can arrange some equipment as part of home care. Veterans Affairs Canada covers aids for daily living for eligible veterans.
Home and Vehicle Modification Program. This Ontario program helps people whose disability limits their mobility stay safely in their homes. It can help pay for ramps, platform lifts, stair lifts and rearranging a bathroom. You must be a permanent Ontario resident with a household income under the program's limit. If your household income is over the program's line ($38,000 for a person living alone; higher for larger households), you may have to pay part of the cost.
March of Dimes Canada runs it for the province and lists up to $15,000 over your lifetime for home changes. Our guide to stair lift costs and funding in Canada compares this program with the options in other provinces.
Ontario Health atHome. If you get home care through Ontario Health atHome, your care plan can include medical supplies and equipment, though some fees may apply. Any Ontario resident with a valid health card can ask for an assessment by a care coordinator. Our guide to who qualifies for free home care in Ontario explains how to get that assessment.
Veterans Affairs Canada. If you are a veteran with VAC health benefits, ask about its aids for daily living coverage. It lists canes, walkers, grab bars, raised toilet seats and bath boards, and it covers repairs. It also has a hearing benefit. Ask VAC what your own file includes, and remember that ADP will not pay for the same equipment VAC covers for a Group A veteran.
Frequently asked questions
What is ADP in Ontario?
ADP is the Assistive Devices Program, run by Ontario's Ministry of Health. It helps Ontario residents with a long-term physical disability pay for equipment such as walkers, wheelchairs, hearing aids, visual aids and breathing machines. For most devices it pays 75% of an approved price. There is no income test.
How do I contact ADP Ontario?
Call 416-327-8804 or toll-free 1-800-268-6021. The TTY line is 1-800-387-5559. You can also email adp@ontario.ca, which is the address to use to ask for a list of registered assessors near you. The mailing address is 5700 Yonge Street, 7th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M2M 4K5.
Does ADP cover CPAP machines?
Yes. ADP pays 75% of the ADP price of a CPAP machine, and you pay 25%. If you receive Ontario Works or ODSP, it can pay 100%. You first need to see a doctor at a sleep clinic registered with ADP. Replacement masks and headgear are not covered.
Do I have to pay for the ADP assessment?
Maybe. ADP does not set or pay assessment fees, so whether you pay depends on the authorizer and their employer. Ask about any fee when you book, before the appointment. ADP's 75% share applies to the device, not to the assessment.
Can I get ADP if I live in a long-term care home?
Yes, for most devices. The device must stay with you for your own use, and the home must agree to accept it. Some devices have their own rules for people in long-term care, so check that device's page on ontario.ca before you apply.
Start with the assessment, not the store
The most useful step is the first one: book an assessment with an ADP-registered professional before you shop. Email adp@ontario.ca for a list of assessors near you. The assessment tells you which device fits, and the vendor can then tell you what the program will pay. Then let the vendor submit the form, wait for the approval, and buy.
If you are helping a parent, bring their health card to the assessment and ask the assessor to explain the vendor's price before anyone signs. A 25% share is easier to plan for when you know the number in advance.
