A treatment centre for children with disabilities says they have to lay off staff as a result of the lack of autism funding.

The Erinoak Centre for Treatment says it has to eliminate close to 300 full-time jobs amid the provinces funding changes.

The centre will, however, bring back roughly 180 staff members on nine-month contracts.

Erinoak says the layoffs are necessary if it wants to continue providing services to children with autism.

The Progressive Conservative government is moving to give money directly to families to pay for autism therapy, instead of funding the service providers.

The government says it believes parents know best and that is why it plans to provide funding directly to them.