Registration for YMCA Summer Day Camp opens on January 13, 2025
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Toronto Island Y Day Camp
Every day is a new adventure at Y Day Camp
About Toronto Island Y Day Camp
Y Day Camp utilizes many areas of Toronto Islands green space and waterfront to deliver outdoor adventure programs.
Junior campers (6–8-year-olds) take the Wards Island Ferry and walk to the home base at Snake Island where they participate in a variety of outdoor activities on the large grassy fields with access to waterfront and biking paths. This is a fully outdoor location. Private washrooms and changing trailers will be provided for changing before swimming in the Y owned pool.
Senior & Leadership campers (9–15-year-olds) take the Centre Island Ferry and walk to the home base near St Andrew’s by the Lake Church where they participate in a variety of activities on the large grassy fields, with access to waterfront and biking paths. This is a fully outdoor location. Public washrooms and changeroom tents will be used before swimming at the Centre Island Beach.
Please ensure you come dressed for the weather as our programs operate outside rain or shine!
Campers meet their counsellors at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at the bottom of Bay Street before taking the ferry to the Island. Camp operates Monday–Friday from 9 am–4 pm. Bussing is available from bus stops throughout the city for $75 round trip per week.
Locations
Our Toronto Island Day Camp has 2 different locations which are split up based off of age and interest. If you hover over the red pins on the map you can see where our Junior, Senior and Leadership camps are. Please note each of these locations operate as an individual camp.
Preparing for camp at Toronto Island Y Day Camp
Whether your child is an experienced camper or it is their first camp experience, it is always helpful to know what they can expect at your camp location this summer!
Review our Summer Day Camp Guide and FAQ for all your answers!
Learn how value beads play an important role at Y Day Camp
Although no two days are the same, see a sample schedule of a camp day
Check out all camp programs available at this location
Bussing is available for $75/week round trip. For a detailed schedule including times and pick-up and drop-off locations, please review the bus schedule for Toronto Island.
Drop off and pick up for junior, senior and leadership campers will be on the grassy knowles to the west of the ferry terminal. You will see staff in blue shirts ready to greet you.
Please look for the red, yellow, blue and green YMCA Flags. Line up at the flag based on your last name and a staff member will sign your camper in!
Red: A - F
Yellow: G - L
Blue: M - R
Green: S - Z
There is paid parking available walking distance away from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. Learn more here.
In order to be placed in the same group as a friend, campers must be in the same age group and registered in the same program. For us to efficiently track the requests, you will need to complete this form for each individual week you are making a request for.
Please ensure your request is sent at least 2 weeks before the start of the program. We do our best to accommodate all requests, however we can not guarantee. If requests are submitted with less than 2 weeks before the start of the program we can not accommodate the request. Please note, one family will submit the request for both campers. Please only submit the request for your camper and one friend.
Thank you!
Submit Friend Request
Although we try to keep campers' items in their backpacks, occasionally things are forgotten. Any items lost at camp are collected daily and kept in the camp office. If your camper loses an item, contact the Camp Director immediately and they will try to find it. All lost items will only be stored on-site for one week, after which they will be donated to a local charity. Unfortunately, the Y cannot take responsibility for lost items. Please check your camper's possessions daily to ensure they arrive home with them.
Day Camp staff work between the hours of 8am - 6pm, Monday to Friday. Following Ontario Bill 27 and in keeping with our values, the YMCA of Greater Toronto is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of employees. A Right to Disconnect policy has been initiated effective of June 2, 2022. The policy is intended to support work/life balance and staff wellbeing by ensuring that employees have the right to disconnect from their work outside of their scheduled hours regardless of whether they are in a centre/office or working remotely.
If you have urgent concerns after hours, you can reach out to our Contact Centre until 8pm by phone, 1-877-303-2267 or email, register@ymcagta.org.
Campers will take a chartered bus from the ferry terminal at 9:00 am to YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre on Thursday morning. While at Cedar Glen, campers will participate in leadership activities such as rock climbing, high and low ropes, swimming and a camp fire. Upon arrival campers will be provided with lunch, dinner in the dining hall and an evening snack.
Campers sleep in the Cedar Glen Grove Cabins which accommodate 8 per room, with a nearby washroom. On Friday, campers will be provided with a hot breakfast and lunch before departure. Campers will return to the ferry terminal for pick-up or bus departure at 4:00pm.
For more information on the overnight accommodations at Cedar Glen, please visit their website.
In our overnight programs at YMCA Day Camps, we will have girls, boys and all-gender cabins. We will allow children to pick the cabin that they feel most comfortable in.
The Y understands that the term "boy" includes cisgender and transgender boys, and "girl" includes cisgender and transgender girls. We understand that gender is a spectrum. The purpose of having all-gender cabins is to ensure all campers regardless of gender identity, including but not limited to Two-Spirit, gender-queer, transgender, cisgender, and non-binary youth, can be in a space that they feel comfortable as themselves in, and can connect with others.
If there is anything you would like to communicate before the overnight, please reach out to the Camp Director.
Youth complete the High Five Healthy Child Development and Standard First Aid & CPR C certifications, as well as learn the skill of resume writing and interview techniques in our employment readiness workshop by the end of the program. During the first week, youth will spend time enjoying camp activities, getting to know their group members, their trainer and learning about the expectations of the program.
Week 2 includes a week long overnight at YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre. Youth will take a chartered bus from the ferry terminal at 9:00am on Monday morning and depart Cedar Glen on Friday to return to the ferry terminal for pick-up or bus departure at 4:00pm.During the second week, participants will have the opportunity to try rock climbing, high rope and low rope courses as well as swim in Cedar Glen’s outdoor pool. Youth will spend this week focusing on how to deliver programs to camp age groups as well as how to create a program plan. Youth will be staying in the Grove Cabin accommodations which sleep 8. All meals are provided in the Cedar Glen dining hall.
Week 3, youth will be paired with a day camp counsellor to demonstrate what they have learned and assist with delivering camp programs to younger campers. At the end of this week, youth will be given a performance appraisal by their trainer and receive 25 volunteer hours. Please note bussing is available from bus stops throughout the city for $100 round trip per week upon request.
In our overnight programs at YMCA Day Camps, we will have girls, boys and all-gender cabins. We will allow youth to pick the cabin that they feel most comfortable in.
The Y understands that the term "boy" includes cisgender and transgender boys, and "girl" includes cisgender and transgender girls. We understand that gender is a spectrum. The purpose of having all-gender cabins is to ensure all campers regardless of gender identity, including but not limited to Two-Spirit, gender-queer, transgender, cisgender, and non-binary youth, can be in a space that they feel comfortable as themselves in, and can connect with others.
If there is anything you would like to communicate before the overnight, please reach out to the Camp Director.
As always, campers will be reminded to reapply sunscreen and drink water frequently throughout the day.
Terms and Conditions: 10% Off Summer Day Camp Offer
The 10% off discount applies exclusively to participants enrolling in full fee summer day camp programs offered by the YMCA of Greater Toronto and valid from January 13 – March 31, 2025.
The discount amount is 10% off the summer day camp program full fee rate, and is not applied to any additional services or program add-ons - bussing, extended hours, towel service or lunch. Please note that this discount cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts provided by YMCA of Greater Toronto. This discount is not applicable to any programming offered at YMCA Camp Pine Crest.
This offer is subject to availability.
It is non-transferable between participants and cannot be exchanged for cash or any other form of credit.
Participants who receive the discount and subsequently withdrawal their enrollment are subject to the withdrawal policy outlined by YMCA of Greater Toronto.
If any adjustments are made to a registration after March 31, 2025 the discount will be revoked and the payee will be responsible for the full fee of the program cost.
This includes switching to a different location, program, or week or accepting a waitlisted activity.
The YMCA of Greater Toronto reserves the right to modify or terminate this offer at any time without prior notice. By availing of this discount offer, participants agree to abide by these terms and conditions.
For any inquiries regarding this offer, please contact our team at register@ymcagta.org.