Today, Mayor John Tory announced that registration will open for Summer CampTO starting tomorrow, Tuesday, June 8 at 8 a.m. Summer CampTO programming will be offered across Toronto from Monday, July 5 to Friday, August 27, following the Province of Ontario’s announcement that summer day camps can operate during Step 1 of reopening.
CampTO will run for eight weeks for children between the ages of four and 12, at approximately 160 locations across the city. The City of Toronto will offer traditional day camp experiences, including dance, drama, music, arts and crafts, and active games. Adapted and inclusive programs for participants with disabilities will also be available. New this year, the City will introduce CampTO Plus, in-person specialty camps at community centres and museums, which will offer specialized programs in areas such as French immersion, arts, creative writing, nature and science.
The City’s Parks Forestry and Recreation Division will work closely with Toronto Public Health over the course of the summer season to ensure an effective COVID-19 response. All summer CampTO programs will follow provincial health guidelines for day camps. These guidelines include physical distancing, daily health screening, wearing masks, cohorting, and enhanced facility cleaning. Each camp group will stay together for the entire week and will not interact with other camper groups. Caregivers will receive a phone call prior to camp start to review procedures and do a pre-camp health check. CampTO campers and staff are expected to wear cloth face coverings or masks both indoors and out. Campers will be required to bring two to three clean face coverings or masks to camp each day.
In addition to in-person camps offered at City locations, CampTO Virtual will also be available. These 45-minute-long live and interactive workshops will be available to campers age four to 12, with interactive games and creative programming. Programs will also be available for people living with disabilities.
In total, this summer the City will offer more than 35,000 spaces for CampTO, including adapted programs, virtual workshops and CampTO Plus.
The quickest and easiest way to register for Summer CampTO and CampTO Virtual is online here . Phone registration will also be available at 416-396-7378. Although Civic Centres remain closed to the public to reduce the spread of COVID-19, five Community Centre locations will be open on Tuesday, June 8 for in-person registration support. Wi-Fi will be available, and staff will be on site to assist with the registration process. Residents may bring their own devices to in-person registration sites; however, staff will register those without their own devices. Locations and hours are available here
Residents who require help preparing for registration, can call 416-396-7378 Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents need a family and client number to sign up for recreation programs. Those looking to register are encouraged to get their numbers before registration day by calling 416-396-7378.
Information on free programs and subsidies for recreation programs is available on the Free & Lower-Cost Recreation Options webpage .
More information about Summer CampTO is available on the CampTO webpage
“We want to make sure kids have a safe camp experience this summer. Our Summer CampTO programs have been designed with guidance from Toronto Public Health and the provincial reopening guidelines. This ensures that Toronto children can have a safe and fun day camp experience across our city, while making new friends and happy memories this summer.”
– Mayor John Tory
“Summer CampTO offers an engaging camp experience for children, while also providing necessary childcare for parents and employment opportunities for young people in the city. Thank you to all City staff who have been working to create a safe and stimulating environment, where children can be engaged and entertained over the summer with both in-person and virtual camp options.”
– Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson (Scarborough Centre), Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee
My spring newsletter is out! Plus: free compost this weekend & 2024 Environment Days.
Read my latest update on engagement and enforcement activities at Tommy Thompson Park and the Leslie Street Spit.
