Summer Canoe Trips

Project Canoe’s Wilderness Canoe programs focus on basic canoeing and camping skills, environmental awareness, and the development of valuable social and leadership skills such as co-operative decision making, teamwork and conflict resolution.

We work to form a community amongst our youth where everyone is supported, has a voice and feels a sense of belonging. While on trip, we aim for our environment to allow youth to feel comfortable learning new skills, building positive relationships and gaining the necessary skills for dealing with conflict, and other difficulties they may face in their day-to-day lives.

Our goal is to create a distinctive, meaningful experience that our youth will carry with them throughout their lives. At the end of their experience, youth will have:

• learned basic canoeing and wilderness camping skills

• participated as a member of a team learning cooperative and relationship building skills

• gained an appreciation for Algonquin Park’s spectacular natural environment

• built a supportive community around them

• had a fun experience they will remember for a lifetime

The sense of accomplishment from having completed a trip manifests in increased confidence and self-esteem. Youth carry this forward in their daily lives-in school and personal relationships.

Trip Options

We have two different trip lengths for youth to choose from. Each trip allows time for youth to explore the beauty of Algonquin Park, learn to paddle, portage and discover the strengths within themselves. All programs focus on supporting youth in creating their own challenges, and in forming positive relationships with their peers. From 5-8 days, choose a length that best serves you. 

5-Day

An introduction to canoe tripping and camping. This length is often dedicated to our partnership programs, as well as for any youth who are joining PC for the first time. Our trip leaders will teach all the skills necessary, with a focus on the youth dipping their toes into a new experience, having fun and trying things out with help. 

8-day

A longer introduction into canoe tripping or a way to build upon skills you have learned in the past. We often have both returning youth and those who are joining us for the first time on these trips which allows for peer to peer mentoring, and the creation of a supportive culture. Youth will get the chance to become even more involved in the camp responsibilities, such as cooking, navigating, decision making, etc. The extra couple of days allows for more time to practice skills, build relationships and feel the rewards of travelling through the wilderness.  

Summer Leadership Program 

The Summer Leadership Program is a 14 day canoe trip, where youth will develop leadership and communication skills, build environmental awareness, personal resilience, and further learn how to create a compassionate community with those around them. They will have an opportunity to take on a leadership role within their group in a way that feels good to them. Find out more information here.

2024 Trip dates to be posted early spring of 2024. Stay tuned!

Cost

We believe that every youth should be able to participate, regardless of financial resources.

While we have a $100/day fee associated with our trips, we operate it as a sliding scale where families are able to choose what amount, if any, they are able to pay. Having this fee allows us to access various funding opportunities, and allows families who are able to pay to contribute toward the costs of the trip as they are able. There is no difference in experience or priority for anyone who does choose to pay. Information about payment amounts is limited to our administrative team; the canoe trip leaders are not informed of payments or amounts. The large majority of our participants do not pay anything to go on trip, and almost none pay the full amount. Project Canoe is a registered charity and we can issue a tax receipt for any other amounts contributed aside from the trip fee. If a referring organisation is able to contribute some portion of the trip fee for the youth they are referring we would greatly appreciate it. We will never turn a youth away from a trip or a program due to financial barriers.

We appreciate any and all contributions made by families and other youth supporters, such as referring agencies. Approximately 90% of camper families are fully funded by our generous supporters. Please feel free to reach out to our team (info@canoe.org), if you have any questions or a need for further follow up.

Youth Referrals

We work with a variety of organizations, youth workers, guidance counsellors, social workers and other professionals, who refer youth to our programs. If you know a youth you think would benefit from or be interested in a canoe trip contact us for more information.