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Occupational benefits - In addition to publicly administered benefits, there also exist private benefit plans. These plans may be directly tied to one's workplace, and include both retirement plans and other insurance based benefits such as dental and drug plans, or they may be savings plans with tax supported provisions, such as Registered Retirement Savings Plans.

Old age pensions - developed in the 1920s due to agitation from senior citizens who saw the government annuities as inadequate. It is now the Canada Pension Plan.

Old Age Security (OAS), Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and Spouses Allowance (SPA) - Between 1952 and 1989, all older Canadians received a universal monthly benefit called Old Age Security, an income security program financed and administered by the federal government. Prior to 1952, this benefit was targeted to the very low-income elderly population. Since 1989, the benefit has again become targeted with only those who qualify because of low or modest income being eligible for benefits.

Ontario Workmen's Compensation Act - (1914), provided for compensation if a worker was injured or killed on the job and protected employers from liability suits.

Operant conditioning - A type of learning in which the likelihood of a voluntary behavior is increased or decreased by reinforcement or punishment.

Order perspective - looks at society as orderly, stable, sharing culture, values, and having consensus on its form and how its institutions should run. Conventional social workers tend to base their views of society from the order perspective.

Outcomes - An outcome is an event, occurrence, or condition that is outside the activity or program itself and has an actual effect on, or is of benefit to, Canadians. An expected short-term outcome describes what is expected to occur as a direct result of the program activities and products. A medium-term outcome is an outcome that is expected to lead to a desired end but is not an end in itself. A long-term outcome is the end result that is sought (such as reduced incidence of crimes). A program may have multiple outcomes for each of the different timeframes.

Outdoor relief – a term used to describe social assistance in the early day that was offered in the person's home in the form of cash or goods.

Outdoor relief Social welfare services provided in the homes of the helpless who were capable of managing on their own with some assistance.

Outpatient - A person who receives treatment for a mental or physical disorder outside the hospital setting and usually in an office or clinic setting.

Outputs - The direct products and services produced through internal program activities. As an example, the amount of work done within the organization (such as number of calls answered).