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Focus
Traditional (multi activity) -
Cost
$1,990 to $5,360/session -
Main language
English -
Ages (Gender)
5 to 16 (All Boys) -
Capacity
195
Located among the spectacular islands of Georgian Bay, Camp Hurontario welcomes boys aged 5-16 from all over the world to take part in non-city activities, build lasting friendships, and develop strong personal skills in our non-competitive, outdoor environment, unplugged from modern tech. Our camper-led approach to programming allows for new challenges at each age level. Based within our privately-owned archipelago, camp activities include sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, fishing, rock climbing, high ropes, archery, biology, woodworking, and more. Our extensive canoe tripping program offers wilderness adventures for all ages in Northern Ontario, Quebec, and even the Arctic. Boys can attend sessions for 1, 2, or 3.5 weeks in July and August.
- Special needs: Yes, mild support. A few of our campers have special needs.
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Focus
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Programs, Rates & Dates
Programs and Sessions Calendar
Camp Hurontario's unique, island location allows our campers to explore the archipelago’s waterways by canoe freely, unaffected by city life, boat traffic, highways, and cottagers. Campers share cabins and attend activities together, guided by their counsellor to decide as a group which activities they would like to attend. This unique approach to programming develops strong teamwork and communication skills in our campers and helps them build much stronger bonds of friendship as they experience the adventures of camp life together. Our small group, non-competitive philosophy fosters learning and growing at one's own pace. Counsellors encourage their campers to support one another, tackle challenges, and try new things together.
Camp Hurontario currently has 4 programs available.
Filter by activities .
Filter Activities
Ages: 15 - 16Overnight Camp
(All Boys)Traditional (multi activity)
$5,150 to $7,710Mactier, ON
Camp Hurontario IslandJul 02-26 $5,360 - $7,710/month Mactier, ON
Camp Hurontario IslandJul 30-Aug 23 $5,150 - $6,900 Ages: 7 - 16Overnight Camp
(All Boys)Traditional (multi activity)
$5,150 to $5,360Mactier, ON
Camp Hurontario IslandJul 02-26 $5,360/month Mactier, ON
Camp Hurontario IslandJul 30-Aug 23 $5,150 Ages: 7 - 13Overnight Camp
(All Boys)Traditional (multi activity)
$3,500 to $3,650Mactier, ON
Camp Hurontario IslandJul 02-14 $3,650/2 weeks Mactier, ON
Camp Hurontario IslandJul 14-26 $3,650 Mactier, ON
Camp Hurontario IslandJul 30-Aug 11 $3,500 Mactier, ON
Camp Hurontario IslandAug 11-23 $3,500 Ages: 5 - 8Overnight Camp
(All Boys)Traditional (multi activity)
$1,990Mactier, ON
Camp Hurontario IslandJul 11-17 $1,990 Mactier, ON
Camp Hurontario IslandAug 08-14 $1,990
Registration Details
Registration opens in the fall for the following summer. Online registration is made quick and easy through our registration portal. Registration can also be completed through printed forms, on request. Completed sign up forms and a $300 non-refundable deposit is all that is required to register. The remaining session fees are paid for by May; any trip costs, travel charges, and in-camp purchases are paid for after camp ends. Fees and session dates can be found via the camp’s website. Parents and campers can also request a phone or Zoom call or house visit with the Camp Director. Special events for new campers take place in the spring. Any questions about registration or the camp can be directed to the camp office by email or phone.
Financial Aid & Payment Details
Payment Options:
Deposit required with acceptance Yes Credit card payment Yes Discounts
Discount if paid early $100 Scholarships & awards:
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Birnie Hodgetts Memorial Children's Fund
Type: Need basedAmount: 70% Deadline: Rolling
Age: 7 to 15
Application Details: Your child’s situation and why sponsorship is being requested
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Reviews & Insider Perspectives
Camp Hurontario reviews on OUR KIDS
Get a range of perspectives to understand the day-to-day experience, the program quality, and the skills and personal growth kids gain. Star ratings are calculated from verified written reviews only.
OUR KIDS review of Camp Hurontario
If overnight camp should be an epic experience, then Camp Hurontario’s origin story is suitably near-mythical. Russell Marston is a third-generation camp director in a place his grandfather discovered while canoeing in the northern Ontario wilderness in 1946. The story recounted here is that his grandfather sought shelter from a storm and woke up the next morning to breathtaking beauty that inspired him to say, "This is where I will have my camp." He founded Hurontario the next year, and it remains today what it was at the beginning: a camp where boys can live and work together, form meaningful relationships, grow leadership skills, and gain a sense of themselves. The most traditional camp activities—canoeing, tripping, sailing, the arts—have been augmented over the years, though done very intentionally to ensure that the focus on values, character, and leadership remain the core of the program.
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Gallery
Photo Gallery
Video Gallery
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Meet the Staff
Director's Message
David Freel, Managing Director
Camp Hurontario has been my home for the past 18 summers. It is the place where I have made my best friends, who I am still close with today, where I learned about leadership, independence, and where my love for the outdoors grew. As director of this amazing place, it is now my wish to ensure that every camper has as fantastic of a time at Hurontario as I was fortunate enough to have, spending my summers here as a kid.
Working closely with Polly Marston - the owner of Hurontario, who's father founded the camp in 1947, we strive to provide a unique experience for our campers, where they can grow and learn in the outdoors at their own pace, taking part in our wide range of activities, away from the busyness of the city and technology.
We hope to see your son, at what is truly the best place to spend the summer!Staff and Counsellors
We pride ourselves in a staff-to-camper ratio of 1:2, with all staff attending an 8-day orientation at the start of each summer. All our counsellors were Hurontario campers; they are hired internally, homegrown and trained through our leadership program. As a result, our counsellors truly understand and deeply care about the camp's philosophies and community; they possess deep knowledge of the area, wilderness skills, and experience in guiding canoe trips. All our counsellors are required to have their Bronze Cross Lifesaving certification as well as their Intermediate First-Aid. Specialist activity instructors are hired, often from overseas as a form of cultural exchange, to lead each activity and teach their passion to our campers.
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Location & Operations
Busing
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Coach Bus
Location Address Pick up Drop off Forest Hill Memorial Arena 340 Chaplin Crescent, Toronto, ON M5N 2N3, Canada Not provided Not provided Moose Deer Point Marina 1068 Marina Rd, MacTier, ON P0C 1H0 Not provided Not provided
Property Details
Sports facilities
- Archery Range
- Climbing Wall
- Rope Course
Landscape
- Beach
- Forested Area
- Lake/Pond/River
- Nature Trails
More details about property: Camp Hurontario is located on a beautiful 40 acre island in the Georgian Bay. The 100+ acres of mainland around the island is also owned by the camp, which offers the perfect location for the campers to sail, canoe, and kayak to our nearby islands, as our location isn't crowded with cottages and boaters. The property is home to all sorts of wildlife such as frogs, turtles, snakes, and porcupines which we share the environment with. The main camp island boasts a range of waterfront areas and sandy beaches, while the interior of the island is forested, with large parts of the island undeveloped and left to nature. All paths on the island have been created over 80 summers of campers and counsellors walking them, so each day feels like a walk in nature.
Accommodations
Sleeping Accommodations
- Cabins
Amenities
- Electricity in Sleeping Area
- Laundry/Linen service
Washrooms Facilities
- Flush Toilets
- Outhouses
More details about accommodations: Our comfortable cabins have two rooms and a shared front porch, designed for up to eight campers in total. Each camper is provided with a single bed and matress, and an individual shelf space, so everyone can enjoy having their own personal space while sharing accommodations with other campers. Each cabin comes with a canoe paddle rack and helpful hooks for hanging coats and lifejackets. In the heat of mid-summer, campers can opt to open the shutters on all their cabin windows to let the cool wind blow through the cabin. Well-maintained screens keep any univited guests out. Cabins have electricity with lights and outlets, and the camp provides a garbage pail and broom so our campers can keep their cabin clean and tidy during their stay. Our washrooms are not attached to the cabins, but are nearby. Their lights remain on overnight so they are easy to find when its dark. We have a mixture of flush toilets and outhouses, so campers can choose which type they are most comfortable with when nature calls.
Are meals provided? Yes. Hurontario provides its campers will three full nutritious and varied meals each day, along with an evening snack each night. Breakfasts consist of several courses of both hot and cold options; lunches and dinners are served with optional salads, soups, and delicious desserts. Our onsite chef and kitchen staff cater to all dietary allergies and restrictions, and with our onsite baker providing freshly baked bread every day, even pickier eaters are catered for. Throughout the summer, campers enjoy outdoor meals in the form of BBQs, cookouts over campfires, and buffet-style lunches in the shade. Any parent may request to speak with our chef ahead of the summer to discuss their son's requirements and review the camp's menu.
Is Camp Hurontario technology free? Yes. Hurontario is a completely technology-free camp, so campers do not bring with them any phones, tablets, ipods, portable gaming devices, or other electronic devices. Our counsellors do not have access to their phones during the day as their focus is on their campers and having fun at activities. Hurontario campers should spend their whole session at camp without seeing a phone, computer, or any other smart tech device. At Hurontario, campers might wind down in the evening by reading books or comics, telling stories, or playing cards.
Rentals & Services
Offers outdoor education program for schools or corporate groups: Yes
Our mission is to safely educate students about the wonders of the outdoors, develop leadership skills, and promote teamwork, in an outdoor, non-classroom environment. We strive to achieve this by immersing students in nature, encouraging collaboration, and leading by the example of our experienced staffAssociations
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Coach Bus
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What's New
Stories
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Camp Hurontario founded thanks to a piano
On a fishing trip in 1946, Birnie Hodgetts and his brother Ted, paddled into what is now Hurontario's main camp bay. They pitched camp and spent a stormy night waiting for dawn to bring them the opportunity to explore this incredible sheltered bay they had found. Soon they realized that they were on a large and very beautiful island surrounded by pristine lands .After much exploring of who owned the island and the mainland across from the island( Birnie was a visionary who knew that in time he had to have the far shore so in future summers no one could build across from camp island),Birnie set out to find out who owned the property.
Title searches turned up the owners of the lsland .The island was for sale but acquiring the big mainland property was not going to be so easy.Mr Kingsmill owned the 150 acres deeded to him by Queen Victoria for fighting in the terrible Boer War. On hearing Birnie's vision for a children's camp, Mr. Kingsmill wrote back to say he would be happy to sell the property but that he would like to run the camp in partnership with Birnie. Birnie was keen to be sole owner and creator of his vision for a camp and so wrote this back to Mr. Kingsmill. For a long time no more was heard from Mr. Kingsmill and Birnie's vision seemed more and more a remote dream. And then one day, Birnie received a letter from Mr. Kingsmill from Mexico where he was living telling Birnie that he had fallen in love with a Mexican girl called Carmelita whom he wanted to marry.
Now Carmelita was happy to marry Mr. Kingsmill but her wedding present was to be an English grand piano with music lessons- and Mr. Kingsmill mentioned this to Birnie as Mr. Kingsmill did not have the capabilities to get this piano for his Carmelita.Soon there after, Birnie arranged for a piano to be shipped from England,piano lessons were arranged all in exchange for 150 amazing acres of land in the Georgian Bay!
And so for the price of a piano and piano lessons and a girl called Carmelita ,Hurontario became a camp now enjoying its 71st summer in the Bay.
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Camp Hurontario founded thanks to a piano
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