COVID-19 Crisis: Why can't my kids go to camp in most York Region municipalities?

Toronto has been able to open its summer camps while Newmarket, Georgina, King and East Gwillimbury, for example, cancelled theirs and are investigating options for scaled-back versions

Yorkregion.com
July 2, 2020
Kim Zarzour

Why has the City of Toronto been able to open its summer camps while York Region, for the most part has not?

Each municipality is free to decide how it wishes to proceed with summer camp offerings under strict health and safety guidelines during the pandemic.

Some municipalities, like Newmarket, Georgina, King and the Town of East Gwillimbury, for example, cancelled theirs and is investigating options for scaled-back versions, while others, like the City of Vaughan, plan to offer a modified on-site camp program.

The City of Toronto is rolling out a very different program from the usual summer camp experience, said Bruce McGregor, chief administrative officer for the Region of York.

Toronto’s general manager, Chris Murray, said “enrolment is way down and precautions are way up,” McGregor said.

Toronto camps will have limitations: restricted to outdoors, participants physically separated, and boxed play crafts activities used for each participant, he said.

“My understanding is they cancelled all of their regular programming and camps,” added Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. “It's not what people typically sign up for and … they’ve reintroduced very modified programming with a lot of restrictions and nowhere near the capacity that they would normally have.”

Contact your individual municipality for the most recent updates on summer programs for 2020.