SSW week √
The Association recognizes the vital contributions of Social Service Workers in Ontario and across Canada and believes the profession deserves a dedicated week of recognition. In 2021, the Association initiated discussions with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) and the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW) to explore establishing a Social Service Work Week in Ontario.
The Association was proud to announce that Social Service Work Week would officially recognize annually during the second week of March, beginning in 2022. This important week will be sponsored by the Ontario Social Service Worker Association (OSSWA) as a celebration of the profession’s impact and significance.
Building on this success, the Association is engaging with the legislators to explore the possibility of proclaiming Social Service Work Week through legislative action. Additionally, the Association is working toward expanding this recognition model to other provinces and territories where Social Service Workers practice, whether regulated or non-regulated, ensuring the profession’s contributions are honoured nationwide.
Awards √
The Association recognizes the need for innovation in celebrating the contributions, achievements, and practices of social service workers. To honour excellence within the profession, the Association will establish a tiered annual award system.
The names of award recipients will be permanently recorded in the Association’s official registry, creating a lasting legacy of professional excellence and dedication within the Social Service Work profession.
Salary Position Statement √
The Government of Canada job bank, outlines the average salary for social service workers in community services, range from the lowest end, $18.00 per hour or ($37,440) per year, to the higher end of $37.91 per hour or ($78,853) per year in Ontario as of 2025. To note, many public service positions (government) pay more than these posted numbers. The average median salary of social service workers in Ontario was approximately $25.00 per hour or ($52,000) per year in 2025.
The associations salary position statement intends to validate that every person deserves an income that is fair, equitable, competitive, and meets the individuals’ overall needs, in the context of their local economy. Social service workers are highly trained, college-educated, regulated and provide critical social services to a variety of vulnerable people and communities, regardless of sector. The association recognises, in the community services (non-profit) sector, funding is and will always be a challenge. The Market Basket Measure (MBM) in conjunction with the job bank data, from the Government of Canada, was utilized to formulate the associations position with recommended minimum social service worker compensation threshold, for specifically the community services sector. Please note the association cannot regulate, control, or enforce salaries.
Employers should consider the nature of work, environment of work and what is considered competitive, in their local economy, when formulating compensation. Employers are additionally strongly encouraged to be transparent in posting their entire wage scale, in their position advertisements to prevent discrimination (gender-based, racial etc.). Compensation should increasingly scale upwards based upon inflation rates and based upon performance and experience. Compensation as well may need to shift to correlate to the overall expenses of housing, nutrition, childcare etc. Please note* Overall expenses may be more in particular rural, remote, Indigenous, or other specific communities. Employers in these circumstances are advised to consult with an employment advisor. The association encourages employers to strive to exceed the recommended threshold when possible.
- *Small sized communities in Ontario 2025 populations centres under 99,999 people: community service employers are recommended to compensate social service workers (entry-level graduates) at the minimum rate of $26.00 per hour or ($54,080) per year based upon a 40-hour work week.
- Medium sized communities in Ontario 2025 population centres from 100,000 to 500,000 people: community service employers are recommended to compensate social service workers (entry-level graduates) at the minimum rate of $29.00 per hour or ($60,320) per year based upon a 40-hour work week.
- Large sized communities in Ontario 2025 population centres over 500,000: community service employers are recommended to compensate social service workers (entry-level graduates) at the minimum rate of $31.00 per hour or ($64,480) per year based upon a 40-hour work week.
- The average starting recommended salary in Ontario 2025 with considerations from all three community population centre sizes would equate to $28.67 per hour or ($59,634) per year based upon a 40-hour work week.
The Professions Branding √
The Association recognizes that the profession of Social Service Work is often difficult to distinguish from Social Work due to overlapping responsibilities and shared professional values. While the differences between the two professions are clear in some contexts, they can be less apparent in others. To address this, the association is committed to unifying the social service work profession across Ontario and Canada under one collective voice.
Acknowledging the need for greater public recognition, the Association will develop a strategic branding initiative to promote the profession’s unique identity and contributions. While the professional title “Social Service Worker” is protected by law in Ontario, this protection is not universal across Canada. The association advocates for title protection in provinces and territories where the profession remains unregulated, working toward establishing a single, recognized professional designation nationwide.
Recognizing that the profession of Social Service Work has evolved since at least the 1960s, the Association is committed to preserving its history. A digital archive will be developed to showcase the profession’s historical journey, including the contributions of educators, and advocates who have shaped Social Service Work into what it is today.
Through these efforts, the Association seeks to strengthen the profession’s identity, amplify its voice, and honour its legacy while fostering its continued growth and recognition.
