2025 Exchange Conference


2025 Exchange Conference

OMSSA hosted more than 400 people from the human services, health, child care, and public services for our in-person 2025 Exchange Conference held on May 13th and 14th in Toronto, Ontario. 

Thank you to all of those who presented, moderated, attended, engaged, and helped make the Conference a success. Our Conference provided the opportunity to bring first-line human services staff from across Ontario to learn, inspire, and think about the Ontario we all want.

Over two days, the Exchange Conference focused on several important professional development topics, enhancing skill sets, and the innovative work happening in each of our sectors to address the most pressing issues in our local communities. 

Full Program Details



Conference Resources

Please see a list of approved resources to share with attendees and members. OMSSA will add approved presentations and resources when they are received. 


Day 1 Opening Plenary Slides on the History of the Creation of OMSSA from John Stapleton

Breakout 1.1: Infant and Early Mental Health Care Pathways & Integrated Systems + Unique Data Collection = Better Child Outcomes

Breakout 1.5: Navigating Workplace Risk: Legal Obligations in Health, Safety, and Mental Well-Being

Breakout 2.1: Local Municipal Champion: WERECE: Windsor-Essex Registered Early Childhood Educators: A Local Approach to Recruitment and Retention & Local Municipal Champion: Northumberland Early Years Employment Initiative - EYEI Program

Breakout 3.1: Conditions of Quality and SNR Review - A New System Model & Quality Assurance and Compliance in Special Needs Resourcing

Breakout 3.2: Local Municipal Champion: Region of Durham: Building Collaborations for Responsive Mental Health and Social Care Supports and Services & B) Local Municipal Champion: County of Simcoe: Access to Integrated Care in Couchiching: A Partnership Between the County of Simcoe Ontario Works and Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital



Breakout 3.3: Addressing the Housing Crisis for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: A Municipal Perspective & Collaborative Housing Solutions for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Breakout 4.2: Growth by Design: Expanding Not-for-Profit and Public Child Care

Breakout 5.1: The Power of Stay Interviews: A Key to Unlocking Employee Engagement and Retention & Building Workforce Sustainability in Child Care and Early Years: A Collaborative Approach Between the Region of Waterloo and Ryelle Strategy Group

Day 2 Closing Plenary: From Insight to Impact: Turning Conference Inspiration Into Real-World Change



Thank You to Our Exchange Partners

OMSSA would like to thank our Exchange Conference Sponsors for their support of our 2025 Exchange Conference.









Exchange Conference Photos

Please see below a small selection of photos from the 2025 Exchange Conference. 



Day 1 Opening Plenary: Supporting, Connecting, Advocating: Celebrating OMSSA's Role in Provincial Social Services



Breakout 1.1: Infant and Early Mental Health Care Pathways & Integrated Systems + Unique Data Collection = Better Child Outcomes


Breakout 1.2: Local Municipal Champion: Region of Peel - From Idea to Impact: Expanding Access to Essential Services in Peel Region & Closer Than They Appear: Navigating Client Journeys with Partnership Development and Asset Mapping


Breakout 1.4: Building Strong Landlord Partnerships: Durham Region Housing Program & Supporting Tenants and Preserving Tenancies in Community Housing



Breakout 2.2: Collaborating to Address Encampments: Assertive Street Outreach in Niagara & Peel's Asylum Claimant Response


Breakout 3.2: Local Municipal Champion: Region of Durham: Building Collaborations for Responsive Mental Health and Social Care Supports and Services & Local Municipal Champion: County of Simcoe: Access to Integrated Care in Couchiching: A Partnership Between the County of Simcoe Ontario Works and Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital


Display table in Breakout 4.1: Welcoming the Rainbow: Creating Resources for 2SLGBTQ+ Inclusion in Children's Programs & "Embracing Black Hair" Beauty Salon & Barber Shop



Day 2 Closing Plenary: From Insight to Impact: Turning Conference Inspiration Into Real-World Change