Canadian Association of Social Workers

What Canadian Association of Social Workers does

The Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW / ACTS) is the national professional association for social workers in Canada, founded circa 1926 and headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario. It serves a profession of roughly 52,823 social workers across all provinces and territories, functioning as the central pillar of the "three pillars" framework (education, association, regulation) alongside the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE-ACFTS) and the Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators (CCSWR), formalized through the 2016 Intersectoral Committee. CASW is the developer and publisher of the Code of Ethics, Values and Guiding Principles (most recently 2024), the Canadian Social Work Journal, the Scope of Practice, and a national bilingual (English/French) practice and policy resource base.

The association operates a public Drupal-based bilingual website (casw-acts.ca) with an authenticated Member Portal, a Private Practice Portal, a searchable Webinar Archive and proposal system, and CE modules (Social Work in Primary Care, Social Work Online CE Institute, TRAIN Learning Network). Distribution runs through the website, federated provincial/territorial partner organizations, the BMS Group liability insurance portal (the only Canada-wide program with electronic/telehealth-services coverage), and an advertising-supported job board. Its offering spans Resource Hubs (Reconciliation, Virtual Counselling, Family and Intimate Partner Violence, MAID, Practice Resources), recognition programs (Glenn Drover National Award, Distinguished Service Award, Africentric awards and scholarships), and events listings at national and international level.

CASW's revenue model is a not-for-profit mix of recurring individual membership dues, website and job-board advertising, paid and free CE webinars, and managed-services economics from the BMS liability insurance partnership; pricing for membership and insurance is not publicly disclosed and is routed to provincial partners and the BMS portal. The organization is privately held as a nonprofit, has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed funding rounds, with a 2023–2028 Strategic Plan and 100-year centenary branding in 2026 anchoring its current positioning.

Name

Canadian Association of Social Workers

Legal name

Canadian Association of Social Workers / Association canadienne des travailleuses et travailleurs sociaux

Website

https://casw-acts.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) is the national professional association for social workers across Canada, delivering bilingual advocacy, the Code of Ethics, continuing education, and a national liability insurance program via BMS Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

International Benefits Administration & Global Benefits Brokerage (BPACAHAG)

Keywords

• Social work association
• Professional ethics standards
• Continuing education programs
• Advocacy and policy
• Member services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Recurring membership fees paid by individual social workers to access national association benefits, liability insurance program, webinars, publications, and member portal.
2. Advertising Revenue: Sales of advertising placements on the CASW website, including job listings posted by employers seeking social workers.
3. Liability Insurance Partnership (BMS/CASW): National professional liability insurance program offered to social workers through a partnership with BMS Group — the only program in Canada with coverage specific to electronic services.
4. Continuing Education / Webinars: Paid/professional development webinar programming and online CE Institute offerings for social workers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) is a national professional association for social workers in Canada that delivers membership services, publishes the national Code of Ethics and Scope of Practice, runs continuing-education programming (webinars and modules), advocates on federal policy affecting the profession, operates a national liability insurance program in partnership with BMS Group, and connects members through a bilingual (English/French) website, member portal, private practice portal, job board, and resource hubs.

Product overview

Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) operates as a national professional association rather than a unified software product; its offering is a portfolio of content publications, resource hubs, continuing education programs, and member services accessed through the CASW website at casw-acts.ca. The flagship knowledge products are the CASW Code of Ethics, Values and Guiding Principles 2024 and the CASW Social Work Scope of Practice, supported by publication arms such as the Canadian Social Work Journal and partner journal The Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics. Continuing education is delivered through CASW Webinars, the Social Work in Primary Care Modules, the Social Work Online CE Institute, and the TRAIN Learning Network, with specialized Resource Hubs (CASW Reconciliation Hub, Virtual Counselling Resources, Family and Intimate Partner Violence Resources, and Practice Resources). Members access gated services via the CASW Member Portal and the Private Practice Portal, the latter of which complements the national CASW Liability Insurance Program offered with BMS Group. Operational and community offerings include CASW Job Listings, CASW Events and Conferences, and the National Africentric Social Work Circles program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CASW Membership Recurring national membership for individual Canadian social workers providing access to member benefits, the CASW Member Portal, Private Practice Portal, webinars, publications, and the CASW/BMS national liability insurance program.
• CASW Webinars Continuing-education webinar programming on topics such as risk management, e-services, mental health, intimate partner violence, reconciliation, and AI/social media in practice; members can register to attend live sessions or access recordings.
• Social Work in Primary Care Modules Specialized continuing-education modules supporting social workers delivering services within primary health care teams.
• CASW Liability Insurance Program National professional liability insurance program for Canadian social workers administered through BMS Group, including the only Canada-wide coverage with specific provisions for electronic/telehealth services.
• CASW Job Listings Online job board for social work positions across Canada with paid advertising placements for employers seeking to reach the national social work audience.
• Canadian Social Work Journal CASW's national peer-reviewed scholarly journal publishing research and discussion on Canadian social work practice and policy.
• CASW Code of Ethics, Values and Guiding Principles 2024 National code of ethics providing a consistent set of values, principles, and standards of conduct for all social workers across Canada.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~52,823 social workers across Canada (2018)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators (CCSWR / CCORTS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the three pillars of Canadian social work alongside education and association. CCSWR provides a national structure for provincial/territorial social work regulatory authorities to act together as the voice on social work regulation nationally and internationally. CASW and CCSWR collaborate through the Intersectoral Committee.
• Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE-ACFTS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe education pillar of Canadian social work; accredits social work programs at Canadian universities, supports scholarship and practice, and collaborates with CASW through the Intersectoral Committee.
• International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal federation connecting CASW to the international social work community; CASW is affiliated and links to IFSW resources such as the Social Work: Promoting Community and Environmental Sustainability workbook.
• Provincial and territorial partner organizations (e.g., BCCSW, ACSW, SASW, MCSW, OCSWSSW, OTSTCFQ, NBASW, NSCSW, NLCSW, PEISWRB, NT Registrar)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFederated partner network representing every Canadian province and territory; these bodies carry out regulation and/or association functions locally and link into CASW at the national level. British Columbia College of Social Workers, Alberta College of Social Workers, Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers, Manitoba College of Social Workers, Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec, New Brunswick Association of Social Workers, Nova Scotia College of Social Workers, Newfoundland and Labrador College of Social Workers, Prince Edward Island Social Work Registration Board, and NT Registrar (Health and Social Services).
• BMS Group (CASW/BMS national liability insurance program)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOperates the only national professional liability insurance program in Canada for social workers, including electronic-services specific coverage. Administered via casw.bmsgroup.com.
• HEAL (Organizations for Health Action)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCoalition of national health organizations representing healthcare providers and patients across Canada. CASW acts on behalf of HEAL in joint advocacy, such as the April 16, 2026 letter to Minister Diab on co-payments under the Interim Federal Health Program.
• Association of Black Social Workers (ABSW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSigned a historic agreement with CASW; the two organizations also jointly publish a report on reparations and have issued joint declarations (e.g., joint declaration against Islamophobia).
• Quebec Association of Social Workers (AQTS - Association québécoise des travailleuses sociales et des travailleurs sociaux)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCASW publicly welcomed this Quebec association, which represents social workers in the province alongside the Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec.
• Canadian Women's Foundation (Fondation canadienne des femmes)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed by CASW as a resource for those affected by family and intimate partner violence; included in CASW's resource pages.
• Ending Violence Association of Canada (EVA CAN)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational non-profit focused on gender-based violence; resource partner referenced from CASW's family and intimate partner violence resources page.
• Families Canada (Familles Canada)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational association of family support centres; referenced from CASW's family violence resources.
• University of New Brunswick - Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence ResearchminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerReferenced by CASW as a training/resource partner for social workers responding to family violence.
• Western University - Centre for Research and Education on Violence against Women and ChildrenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides free online training referenced by CASW on domestic violence risk assessment, workplace violence, and disclosure response.
• McMaster University - VEGA Family Violence Education ResourcesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEvidence-based pan-Canadian family violence education resources and guidelines; referenced by CASW for professional education.
• School boards (as employers of school social workers)minorOthersCASW publishes a practice page on social work in schools and lists school boards as a primary employer of school social workers who must hold registration with the relevant provincial/territorial regulatory body.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW): IFSW is the global federation of national social-work associations of which CASW is a member. Comparable on the international standards-setting, ethics, and policy-advocacy dimensions, and an obvious partner/peer for benchmarking CASW's global engagement.
• Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators (CCSWR): CCSWR is the third pillar of Canadian social work, coordinating provincial/territorial regulators. Comparable to CASW as a national-level social-work body with regulatory-adjacent functions and a strategic partner through the Intersectoral Committee.
• Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE-ACFTS): CASWE-ACFTS is the second of the 'three pillars' of Canadian social work, accrediting BSW/MSW programs nationally. Closely comparable on the education-and-standards dimension and a structural partner/peer of CASW through the Intersectoral Committee.

Direct peers

• Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW): AASW is the national peak body for social workers in Australia, operating membership, accreditation, advocacy, and continuing professional development — directly comparable to CASW in scope, member-services mix, and Commonwealth-country regulatory structure.
• British Association of Social Workers (BASW): BASW is the UK professional association for social workers offering membership, professional standards, advocacy, and CPD — the most direct national-association peer to CASW in a common-law, English-speaking jurisdiction with nationally federated social-work regulation.
• National Association of Social Workers (NASW): NASW is the largest U.S. professional association for social workers, providing membership, continuing education, ethics standards, advocacy, and liability insurance programs — the closest international analog to CASW's national-association mandate. Directly comparable on revenue model (dues + CE + insurance) and member-services portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Nurses Association (CNA): CNA is a large Canadian national healthcare professional association offering membership, certification, CE, and federal policy advocacy. Comparable on national-association operating model and federal-advocacy muscle, though at a much larger scale than CASW.
• Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA): CCPA is a Canadian national professional association for counsellors and psychotherapists with overlapping member base (mental-health practitioners), comparable membership/CE/advocacy model, and similar liability-insurance partnerships — a useful adjacent peer for benchmarking.
• Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): CPA is a Canadian national professional association for psychologists operating on a near-identical member-services, ethics-standards, CE, and federal-advocacy model. Useful broad-incumbent peer for governance, dues-pricing, and member-value benchmarking.

Regional players

• Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec (OTSTCFQ): OTSTCFQ is the Quebec professional order regulating social workers and marital/family therapists. Directly comparable as a provincial/territorial social-work body, and a structural partner/peer of CASW through the federated national model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/casw_acts
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@canadianassociationofsocia4233/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/casw.acts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/casw-acts
• Instagraminstagram.com/casw_acts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Canadian Association of Social Workers