F.A.Q.

YMCA Kanawana is located on 455 acres of pristine wilderness just outside St-Sauveur des Monts, only 45min north of Montreal in the beautiful Laurentian mountains region.

We suggest open discussions with your child about what they can expect at camp and to reassure them that it is okay to feel nervous or apprehensive before their first stay at camp. View the photos on our website with your child to help familiarize him/her with the site and activities. Our parent handbook also outlines some ways to guide this preparation process. We also suggest that you visit camp with your child at our Open House being held on Saturday, June 19th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

There are a variety of ways to be in touch with your camper while she/he is at camp - you can write a letter, fax a note or take advantage of our email service. Campers are not permitted to use the telephone and our phone line at camp exists for camp business and emergency purposes. All families of first time campers will receive a call from your child's Section Director within the first four days of camp to let you know how it is going. If you wish to speak with your child's Section Director, you may call and, if necessary, leave a message and we will return your call as soon as possible.

All accomodations are single-sex. Junior campers reside in wooden cabins; Senior campers in canvas walled tents on platforms. Sleeping accommodations for both groups are in comfortable bunk beds. Cabins and tents do not have electricity, however they do have solar powered lights for nightime safety and convenience.

Our campers are offered three nutritious meals per day as well as snacks, juice and water which are available throughout the day in the Dining Hall. Our Chef prepares a carefully planned menu of simple, well balanced meals which are verified and approved by a certified dietician as per our accreditation standards with the Quebec Camping Association. Vegetarian choices are offered at each meal as are a variety of seasonal fruits. Our camp has adopted an allergy management plan to carefully prepare for identified food allergies prior to each session. Information you provide on your child's specific allergy is passed on to the chef, your child's counselor(s) and the Section Director. Special portions can be prepared in this case.

As part of the comprehensive YMCA camping network, our camp follows recommended and required policies and guidelines as outlined in the YMCA's Camping Quality Recommended Practices (CQRP) as well as the accreditation standards set out by the Quebec Camping Association of which we were a founding member. Our tripping programs follow strict guidelines to ensure the maximum safety and security of all campers. Our tripping staff are experienced and well trained, have Wilderness First Responder training and follow established and safe canoe routes. For more information on our accreditation standards, please consult the Quebec Camping Association's website at the link that follows.

Junior cabin groups consist of a maximum of eight campers with two staff members. Senior tent groups consist of eight campers with one staff member.

English is the prominent language used as most of our campers are English speaking. However, our policy is to hire staff who are bilingual.

We do not have a visiting day, however for campers staying during changeover periods, families can visit on Sunday (of the changeover). Please call the camp office prior to your visit to confirm (especially if you plan to leave site with your child) and please ~ no pets !

Yes. YMCA Child Development Policies and our accreditation standing with the Quebec Camping Association require that all our staff , full time and seasonal , are required to have an approved police verification as a condition of employment.

Yes. In addition to our camp health staff, there is a fully staffed medical clinic in St-Sauveur (within 10 minutes of camp) as well as nearby hospital centers in St-Jerome and Ste Agathe des Monts in case of emergencies. Ambulance services that service the region are also close by.

Yes! Packages can be sent by Canada Post, Purolator and UPS. We ask that you please refrain from sending food in your package - campers have the opportunity to order a special snack through their tuck account. Snacks in the cabins and tents can result in visits from our Kanawana critter friends!

We have a capacity of 228 campers per session. The Junior and Senior sections welcome about 96 campers per age group and our Voyageur, Rangers and Trailblazers round out our camper population each session.

No, you do not need specialized equipment, but if you own any you can bring it to the program.

We have had both very experienced outdoors people as well as people with no outdoor experience participating in the WOLF program. But you do need to be motivated to participate fully and to fulfill the requirements of the program.

WOLF trainees will actually have the opportunity to participate in 3 trip experiences over the course of their training. One of these will be organized (with supervision) by the trainees themselves and the instructor will act as a mentor for them and a resource without having a directive leadership role during the trip, though available to insure safety at all times.

WOLFs take part in solo, a 24-hour camping experience in which the WOLF are given the chance to practice their skills independently of staff. Solo's are done in the Papineau-Labelle Provincial Park, and though the experience itself takes place without the immediate presence of the W.O.L.F. instructor, safety and security are ensured through walkie-talkie communication, safety whistles, and regular on-the-hour check ins. A solo is a short though intensive experience which serves as a vehicle for personal growth as it provides an opportunity for W.O.L.F. to spend time alone in nature and to reflect on their relationship with the world around them and the role they will have in presenting it to their future trip participants.

"Experiential education is a philosophy and methodology in which educators purposefully engage with learners in direct experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills and clarify values." (http://www.aee.org/customer/pages.php?pageid=47) YMCA Kanawana believes that participants being intellectually, emotionally, socially, soulfully and physically involved in their learning as well as knowledgeable of the environment they are exploring in a social context where relationships are developed and nurtured will form the personal basis for future experience and learning for each participant. "Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will understand." ~Chinese Proverb

Your child needs to pass our swim test in accordance to the Quebec Camp Association standards and must be able to swim at least 75 meters without wearing a Personal Flotation Device (PFD). YMCA Kanawana believes in the safety of all participants and campers that are deemed weak swimmers could be refused acceptance in our canoe trip programs.

Our staff take part in a mandatory 10 day pre-camp prior to the arrival of the campers. Sessions address camper supervision and care, program animation, safety procedures and camp policy to name a few. This training period covers a very strict set of required elements as part of our accreditation with the Quebec Camping Association.

On all lake (flat water) canoe trips, there is a maximum of 10 children with 2-3 staff with a minimum of one lead guide. On occasion WOLF (Wilderness Outdoor Leadership Fieldwork) participants accompany the groups as extra resource. On any given white water (RIVER) canoe trip, there is a maximum of 8 participants with 2 lead guides and on occasion WOLF participants accompany the groups as extra resource.

YMCA Kanawana is located on 455 acres of pristine wilderness just outside St-Sauveur des Monts, only forty-five minutes north of Montreal in the beautiful Laurentian mountains region.

You may send them e-mails or letters, but they will only receive them at their return on the camp property.

There are numerous protocol which our guides must follow while leading canoe trips. All our trip leading staff areWilderness First Responders and are able to provide appropriate care for situations that typically could occur on trip. Each canoe trip leaves with an extensive first aid kit and communication devices.

Yes. YMCA Child Development Policies and our accreditation standing with the Quebec Camping Association require that all our staff , full time and seasonal , are required to have an approved police verification as a condition of employment.

A packing list will be sent to you with your confirmation kit and there will be certain items that will be required in order to participate the programs, but YMCA Kanawana makes a conscious effort to concentrate on the essentials in order to keep the costs low.

As part of the comprehensive YMCA camping network, our camp follows recommended and required policies and guidelines as outlined in the YMCA's Camping Quality Recommended Practices (CQRP)www.ymca as well as the accreditation standards set out by the Quebec Camping Association (www. camps.qc.ca.) of which we were a founding member. Our tripping programs follows strict guidelines to ensure the maximum safety and security of all campers. Our tripping staff are experienced and well trained, have Wilderness First Responder training and follow established and safe canoe routes.

Our campers are offered three nutritious meals per day. Campers are involved in the menu selection and, as much as possible we take dislikes into consideration to ensure the best experience possible for your child. Canoe tripping guides prepare a carefully planned menu of simple, well balanced meals which are verified and approved by a certified dietician. No fresh meat is consumed on a canoe trip and all fresh fruits and vegetables are carefully stored and consumed early in the canoe trip. Vegetarian options are available. Information you provide on your child's specific allergy is passed on to the canoe trip leaders as well as to our Hike and Trip Director. Please note that participants with certain allergies or physical conditions may not be admitted in our wilderness canoe tripping programs. Please contact us for more details.

Exlporers and Adventurers trips are not coed. Voyageur trips are co-ed but campers do not sleep in tents with members of the opposite sex. Our lead guides always sleep near campers during the trip and supervision is ensured 24 hours a day.

We suggest open discussions with your child about what they can expect on a canoe trip and to reassure them that it is okay to feel nervous or apprehensive before their first stay at camp. View the photos on our website with your child to help familiarize him/her with the site and especially with the information that are specific to their trip.