Join Now – Camps and Outdoor Education Centres

Membership Benefits for Camps and Outdoor Education Centres

Together, we can make Ontario the very best place to go to camp or an outdoor education centre.

As a leader in this industry, your commitment to delivering exceptional experiences should not go unnoticed. Become an OCA Accredited Member and join our passionate industry professionals in changing the camp industry.

Benefits for Provisional and Accredited Camps and Outdoor Education Centres

These are the benefits that your camp or outdoor education centre will receive once you are a Provisional Member – this means that you’re part of our organization, but not yet OCA Approved. Think of it as a CIT/LIT status, and Accreditation is full staff!

Support

The OCA is here to support our Members. Collectively, our Board of Directors and wide network of camp industry professionals work with professional consultants including lobbyists, health experts, lawyers, policy advisors, social workers and more to provide OCA Members with up-to-date and accurate resources and support.

The OCA Support Hotline provides around-the-clock phone support to Members in immediate need.

Government Lobbying

When changes to regulations that have a potential negative impact on the camp industry are proposed by the government, the OCA lobbies the government on behalf of all its membership camps and outdoor education providers. Given that the OCA represents more than 450 camps and outdoor education centres, it has a powerful voice with the government.

Currently, our Government Relations Committee and Board of Directors are working on behalf of the Canadian camps industry for the financial security of our camps, outdoor education providers, and Preferred Vendors. Through a proposed Sustainability Fund and amendments to current non-applicable financial support programs, they are working to #savecanadiancamps.

Our past successes include:

• Establishing a minimum wage exemption for full-time students working at camp
• Creating the Camp Marine Module with Transport Canada for an Marine Technical Review Board (MTRB) Exemption
• Working with Service Canada to assist foreign workers and campers in coming to Canadian camps and outdoor education centres

Mentoring

The camps industry is unique – we are a community of like-minded people who want to ensure that the Canadian tradition of camp and outdoor education is available, accessible, and safe for everyone. In this spirit, the OCA provides mentorship connections for new directors, new camps and outdoor education centres, camps in need of support, and preferred vendors.

Research

The OCA provides Members with access to research by the Canadian Camping Association and the American Camp Association, providing data and trends that are important to the camps industry. The COVID-19 Task Force and OCA Board of Directors researched successful programs that ran in Summer 2020 to provide insight and direction for the 2021 season and beyond. We also connect researchers to camps and outdoor education providers.

Marketing

The OCA sends out a weekly e-newsletter, the OCA Weekly, to all OCA Members. the OCA Weekly provides updates from the OCA, relevant news and resources, health updates, policy updates from the government, upcoming events, what’s happening on social media, and other information relevant to the camps industry.

Savings

• Your OCA membership includes membership in the Canadian Camping Association.
• Through our Preferred Vendors program, OCA membership includes discounts for quality equipment and services.
• Discounts for American Camp Association conferences.
• Your OCA membership makes you eligible for OCA Member pricing, or free access, for OCA events!

Future Membership Benefits

Once Accredited, your camp/outdoor education centre will be able to enjoy the following additional benefits:

Marketing

OCA Accredited Camps, Outdoor Education Providers, and Preferred Vendors have their information posted on our website for parents, campers, staff and the general public, and are listed in our Camps Guide. Our Find My Accredited Camp and Find My Accredited Outdoor Education Provider tool (coming soon!) is an interactive search feature that helps campers and their families find the camp that is best for their needs!

Our OCA social media promotes and brings awareness of the benefits of camp and outdoor education, celebrates and supports OCA Members, and shares and cheers on the successes of our membership.

OCA Logo

The OCA logo signifies to families, potential staff, and campers/participants that a camp meets the highest standards – only Accredited Camps and Outdoor Education Centres are permitted to use the OCA logo.

Savings

In addition to the savings as a Provisional Member, OCA Accredited Camps have access to a thoroughly vetted insurance program created for camps and outdoor centres.

Join our community of proactive camp and outdoor education leaders.