Summer Camps

Arthritis Society Canada has six camps located across Canada. Our camps are located in BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. Even if you don’t live in any of the afformentioned provinces, we are sure we can find one of our camps for you to attend!

Living with childhood arthritis can put enough of a strain on a family’s time, energy and financial resources. Our intention is for camp to be free for all campers across the country and our fundraising team is working tirelessly to achieve this goal. At this point, we are very hopeful that we will achieve our goal, with nothing to indicate otherwise. In the event that we are unable to raise the required funds to cover the cost of our camps, there may be no other option except to implement a registration fee. We will make every effort to notify families as soon as possible in the event a registration fee will need to be implemented. If you are interested in joining our fundraising efforts and supporting Arthritis Society Canada Camps, you can create a personalized Move Your Way fundraiser page under our Camp 2023 Team: https://arthritis.ca/myw/camp2023.

Camp is a great opportunity for kids to be fully immersed in their camp experience. For some, it may be their first time away from home and they are building their independence and confidence. For this reason, family and friends are not able to contact their children while they are at camp. If there is an emergency and you need to reach your child, please email camp@arthritis.ca.

All campers and staff, unless medically exempt, must have a minimum of two doses of a Covid-19 vaccination to attend an Arthritis Society Canada Camp this summer.

We are taking every measure to ensure the health and safety of all campers and staff in planning for summer 2023. We continue to monitor the Public Health guidelines and follow the recommendations established by our medical team. Please know that doing so is essential to safely running our in-person camp this summer. As you prepare for camp, please follow our current COVID-19 policies:

• Campers and staff attending Camp should limit their exposures (i.e., reduce the chances of becoming infected by limiting contact with individuals outside of their immediate household) to the greatest extent possible 5 days prior to arrival to camp. At check-in, our nurses will request that campers and staff confirm that they have taken all reasonable measures to limit their exposures for the 5-days prior to their arrival.
• Arthritis Society Canada strongly encourages families to test their camper(s) 1 & 3 days prior to attending Camp.
• Should your camper(s) test positive for COVID-19 or experience symptoms of COVID-19 in the 5-days leading up to camp please notify camp@arthirtis.ca. Camper(s) who have COVID-19 or are symptomatic should NOT attend camp on the first day.
• Anyone travelling from outside of Canada must follow federal and provincial requirements and guidelines for quarantining, screening, and testing prior to camp. Refer to COVID-19 testing, the federal Quarantine Act, and federal travel guidelines. Staff or campers who have been advised to quarantine cannot carry out their quarantine at the camp.

We will continue to ensure that we are evolving our policies and procedures to fit with best practices outlined by both Public Health and our medical team and will continue to update families with more information as Camp approaches.

Arthritis Society Canada Camps strive to promote inclusion for all campers, volunteers and staff regardless of race, religion, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and socioeconomic status. It is integral to ensure camp is a safe space for all gender identities and expressions including but not limited to those who identify as transgender, gender-fluid, or gender non-binary by taking steps to foster an inclusive and welcoming environment. We have taken steps to provide these safe spaces for 2SLGBTQ+ campers, including: 

• All of our cabin assignments are based on gender identity and expression and not sex 
• All campers have the right to access facilities, such as washrooms, based on their gender identity and expression.  
• All-gender, single occupant washrooms will also be available on camp premises 
• At Arthritis Society Canada Camps, we address all campers by their identified name and pronoun, regardless of their legal name or sex designation.  

We encourage the parent(s) or guardian(s) of any transgender, gender-fluid, and gender non-binary campers to contact camp@arthritis.ca to discuss a support plan and the commitments to inclusion made by Arthritis Society Canada, including how we can best welcome and support your camper. At Arthritis Society Canada Camps, we are committed to creating a space where all campers can truly be themselves and we welcome continued feedback in this area. 

Definitions:

• Gender Identity: How a person feels and identifies. A person’s gender may or may not conform to the social expectations associated with the sex they were assigned at birth
• Gender expression: The way a person presents and communicates gender. Can include appearance (e.g., clothing, makeup, hair, etc.), behaviour, voice and name/pronouns
• Transgender: The word "Transgender" is an umbrella term and is often used to represent a wide range of gender identities and expressions. The term encompasess people whose gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth according to dominant social expectations
• Gender-Fluid: A person whose gender is not fixed and can change over time.
• Non-Binary: A person whose gender identity does not fit into the categories of “man” or “woman”

Arthritis Society Canada Camps is committed to providing a safe and supportive camp environment for all of our campers. At Arthritis Society Canada Camps, we have supports in place to not only support our camper’s physical health, but also their mental health while at camp. Most of our camps have a social worker or occupational therapist on site, and all our camps have registered nurses present. Additionally, each of our camp counsellors undergo mental health awareness training, to help provide then with the basic knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to safely support campers who may be struggling with their mental health. Importantly, all our camp applications undergo medical review to ensure that the camp environment is a safe space for each applicant. While we will do everything possible to accommodate your child at camp, there may be some situations where we are unable to accommodate your child. If your child has a history of mental health challenges, we encourage you to reach out to camp@arthritis.ca so that we can work with you to ensure that your camper feels safe and supported at camp.

We welcome all returning, new, and prospective camp families to share any inquiries with camp@arthritis.ca.

We encourage all camp families to stay connected throughout the year! A great way to stay connected and in-the-know with all our upcoming camp and year-round events is by registering for the Arthritis Society Canada's Club Sunrise. Club Sunrise offers year-round programming for children and youth (5-18) living with arthritis or another rheumatic contion and offers a safe and supportive communiy for these children and youth to connect. We also host Club parent nights & siblings events throughout the year! Please click HERE to learn more about and/or register for Club Sunrise.

Additionally, if you have not done so already, we invite you join the Arthritis Society Canada Childhood Arthritis Community Facebook group to stay connected and learn more about all things Camp throughout the year!