ADP guide: getting a walker or wheelchair

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Getting a walker or wheelchair through ADP: a step-by-step guide

Ontario’s Assistive Devices Program (ADP) helps pay for walkers, wheelchairs and other mobility aids that you need every day. This guide walks you through the whole process — from checking whether you qualify to getting your device home and set up.

Written by Abhiraj Radhakrishnan, PT, MPT · 8-minute read

At a glance

  • ADP pays 75% of the approved price. You pay the other 25%.
  • If you receive Ontario Works, ODSP or ACSD, ADP pays 100% of the approved price.
  • Your income doesn’t matter — anyone who meets the criteria can apply.
  • You need an assessment by an ADP-registered occupational therapist or physiotherapist and must buy from an ADP-registered vendor.
  • ADP aims to review a completed application within 8 weeks.
  • Don’t buy first. If you order before approval and ADP says no, you pay the full price.

On this page

  1. Who qualifies — with a quick check
  2. What ADP covers
  3. The 6 steps
  4. After you have it: repairs and replacement
  5. If ADP says no
  6. Help paying your share
  7. Contacts

Who qualifies

You can apply if you:

  • live in Ontario and have a valid Ontario health card in your name,
  • have a long-term physical disability and need the device for 6 months or longer, and
  • need it for everyday mobility — not only for exercise, sport, work, school or the occasional outing.

You can’t get ADP funding for the same device if it’s already covered by WSIB, or by Veterans Affairs Canada for a Group A veteran’s pensioned condition.

Quick check: could ADP help you?

Quick check: answer a few questions about the person who would use the device. This is not an assessment and doesn’t decide eligibility — only ADP decides, after an assessment by an ADP-registered therapist. Nothing you choose is saved or sent anywhere.

What ADP covers — and what it doesn’t

Covered

  • Wheeled walkers and rollators (adults)
  • Forearm crutches
  • Manual wheelchairs
  • Power wheelchairs and power scooters
  • Power add-ons for manual wheelchairs
  • Wheelchair seating: cushions, back and head supports, tilt and recline

Not covered

  • Standard canes
  • Walkers without wheels
  • Transport chairs
  • Most rentals and short-term needs
  • Batteries for power wheelchairs
  • Repairs and maintenance
  • Ramps, stair lifts and wheelchair lifts

ADP pays toward the most basic device that meets your everyday needs. Extra features you choose are paid by you.

The 6 steps

Health card, a check mark and a calendar showing 6 or more months6+MONTHS

Step 1

Check that you qualify

Go through the list above. If you’re not sure whether the need will last 6 months, or whether a walker or wheelchair is the right choice, start by talking to your family doctor, nurse practitioner or care team.

Tip: have your health card handy for every appointment.

A therapist with a clipboard assessing an older adult with a rollator

Step 2

Get assessed by an ADP-registered therapist

An occupational therapist (OT) or physiotherapist (PT) who is registered with ADP checks how you move, sit and get around, then recommends the right type of device and measures you for it.

  • How to find one: ask your doctor or hospital team, ask your home care therapist if you have one, or email ADP at adp@ontario.ca for a list.
  • Fees: some therapists charge for the assessment. ADP doesn’t set or pay these fees, so ask first.
A medical supply store with a rollator in the windowREGISTERED VENDOR

Step 3

Choose an ADP-registered vendor

The vendor is the medical supply business that provides the device. You choose the vendor — your therapist can suggest some.

  • Services vary, so it’s worth comparing: ask about home delivery, trying devices, warranty and repairs.
  • The vendor can’t charge more than ADP’s approved price for the approved device. Optional extras cost more.
An ADP application form with check marks and a signature, and a penADP FORM

Step 4

Complete and sign the application

Your therapist and the vendor fill in their parts of the ADP application form, and you sign it. If you can’t sign, someone with legal authority to act for you can — for example a spouse, parent, adult child or power of attorney.

The form is then sent to ADP electronically. Keep a copy for your records.

An approval letter with a check mark and a clock showing about 8 weeks~8 WEEKS

Step 5

Wait for ADP’s decision

ADP aims to review a properly completed application within 8 weeks.

  • If approved, ADP lets your vendor and therapist know, and they contact you to arrange delivery.
  • If not approved, ADP sends you a letter explaining why and how to follow up.

Don’t order or buy the device while you wait. ADP only pays for what it approves after the approval date.

A rollator delivered to a home, adjusted to the right height

Step 6

Delivery, fitting and follow-up

The vendor delivers the device and sets it up for you. Your therapist may check the fit — for example, the handle height of a walker or the seat of a wheelchair — and show you how to use it safely.

You pay your 25% share to the vendor when you receive the device.

After you have it: repairs and replacement

  • You own the device, so repairs and maintenance are your responsibility. Ask your vendor about the warranty before you buy.
  • ADP may help pay for a replacement if your condition, abilities or body size change, or the device is worn out and can’t be repaired at a reasonable cost.
  • ADP doesn’t replace devices that are lost, stolen, or damaged through misuse.
  • Have the fit checked if things change — for example after an illness, a fall or a change in weight.

If ADP says no

Your letter will explain the reason. You can appeal in writing by mail, email or fax. Include:

  • your name and contact information
  • your health card number
  • the decision you’re appealing
  • why you disagree
  • any supporting documents — your therapist can help with these

If you’re still not eligible, ask your therapist about other options such as reconditioned equipment, private insurance or community groups.

Help paying your share

  • Ontario Works, ODSP or ACSD: ADP pays 100% of the approved price.
  • Private health insurance or work benefits: many plans cover some or all of the 25%. Check before you order — some need pre-approval or quotes.
  • Veterans Affairs Canada: may help eligible veterans.
  • Community groups: service clubs such as Lions Clubs, Easter Seals (for children) and The War Amps (for people with amputations) sometimes help with costs.
  • Income tax: what you pay for a wheelchair or walker may count as a medical expense on your tax return (some items need a prescription). Keep your receipts and check with the CRA or your tax preparer.

Contacts

Assistive Devices ProgramToll-free 1-800-268-6021
Toronto 416-327-8804
TTY 1-800-387-5559
adp@ontario.ca
Central Equipment Pool
for power wheelchairs with power tilt or recline		Toll-free 1-800-395-6661
Health811Call 811 for health advice any time in Ontario

Related: not sure which aid you need? Read Cane or walker? and Is it time for a wheelchair?, or try the walking aid helper.

Have a question about ADP or mobility aids?

Send it in. Common questions are answered here on the site.

Ask a question

Sources
Mobility aids — Assistive Devices Program, Government of Ontario (updated July 2025)
Assistive Devices Program — Government of Ontario
Application for Funding: Mobility Devices — Applicant Information Sheet (form 2196-67), Ministry of Health

This guide is general information, not a personal assessment or advice about your eligibility. ADP rules and prices can change — check with ADP or your therapist for the latest details. Last reviewed October 2026.