Ontario
School & Groups Programs

We offer three program options in Ontario:

Toronto Urban Wild
This program takes place at our Toronto location in Don Valley Brickworks Park, where students have the exceptional opportunity to experience OBC right at their doorstep, whether through day or field trip programs. Depending on the skills to be taught and the location of your school, we often utilize other local conservation areas to host groups as well.

Our Urban Wild programs focus on nature immersion and teaching skills such as:

• Hiking;
• Canoeing;
• Cooking;
• Snowshoeing;
• Wetland studies;
• Shelter building;
• High and low ropes courses;
• Team building and leadership development; and
• Overnight camping (at various locations, including Don Valley Brickworks Park)

We’re flexible and can work with you to develop customized programs for your group. Just tell us what you’re looking for, and we’ll take care of it!

Facility-Based Programs

These 4- or 5-day programs are offered year-round at our partner site, Kinark Outdoor Centre in Minden, where participants and educators stay overnight. These programs are ideal for schools that have already participated in our urban programs or have attended other outdoor education programs and now want to take the next step in growth and adventure.

Our facility-based programs focus on immersion in skill-specific programs such as:

• Campcraft (i.e., building a fire, choosing a site and building a shelter, cooking, navigating, and tying knots);
• Developing leadership skills, resilience and compassion;
• Paddling and paddle sports; and
• Winter discovery (i.e., personal cold weather skills and management, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, winter shelters, winter cooking)

Ontario Wilderness Adventures

These are the classic OBC experiences offered in 5-, 7- and 10-day programs. Your program begins and ends at our wilderness base at Kinark Outdoor Centre for outfitting, gear selection, and departure to a provincial park or other wilderness reserve for the program.

Ontario Wilderness programs are immersions in skill-specific travel modalities such as:

• Backpacking; 
• Canoeing; and 
• Snowshoe expeditions 

In addition to being immersed in the safety aspects and skills associated with the mode of travel, students have the incredible opportunity to learn the following skills:

• Campcraft (i.e., fire making, shelter building (tents and tarps and site selection), cooking, navigation skills, water treatment, and knot tying);
• Travel ethics and site selection
• Leadership and Environmental Stewardship
• Conflict Resolution and group dynamic
• Risk Management
• Solo experiences to support self reflection and awareness.
• Service opportunities to teach the impact of community

Please note: There is limited availability through Fall 2023. Winter program dates are available in February and March 2024. Dates for Spring 2024 are available starting May 15, 2024.

Please fill out the form and one of our team members will call you within 48 to 72 hours to answer your questions, complete the booking and issue a contract if you decide to proceed with the booking.

Program prices

To fulfill our mission of making the outdoors accessible to youth who are underserved by outdoor education opportunities, we offer subsidies and funding to schools and groups made possible by our supporters. If you’re looking for information about our subsidies for school and groups, please reach out to groups@outwardbound.ca. 

Our prices reflect our low student-to-instructor ratio, our high-quality, certified and experienced staff, and our risk management practices. Standard Ontario prices are based on groups of 24 to 30 students and may be adjusted based on the actual number of students at the time of booking.

• Prices for wilderness expeditions start at $250 per student per day and are adjusted based on the number of participants. We maintain a 1:5 ratio of instructors to students. Equipment, meals, and travel from base to field site are included in the price.
• Prices for facility-based programs are $150 per student. In Ontario, Kinark Outdoor Centre is our preferred course location.
• Urban Wild prices in Toronto start at $60 per student for day programs, while prices for 2-3 day overnight trips start at $150 per day.