Camp Providers

Injury Prevention

• Sun safety
• Helmet use
• Water safety
• Extreme heat
• Protecting children from extreme heat

Lending Library

Lending library resources (e.g. examples include: rethink your drink, hand washing kit, vaping, etc.) can be borrowed from the Health Unit and apps to support learning.

Exclusion Guidelines and Reporting

If campers or staff become ill, please see Diseases webpage for guidance.

Connect with our Communicable Disease Control (CDC) Program to know if an exclusion is needed for a camper or staff, and for how long, especially if you are dealing with any of the following:

• Outbreak: if an outbreak is declared, this may change exclusion guidelines.
• Food Handlers: exclusion guidelines may be different if an ill camper or staff handles food/beverages.
• Animal Bites: all animal bites and scratching matters are to be reported to our Environmental Health Program. Advise children not to approach dead, sick or unknown animals.

The Health Protection and Promotion Act, 1990, Regulation 568 for Recreational Camps, section 5 states: Every operator shall ensure that every person living in a camp or employed in a camp is free of any communicable disease or any infectious agent thereof. R.R.O. 1990. Reg. 538.S.5.

Preventing Illnesses and Their Spread at Camp

• The Recreational Camp Guide aims to answer your questions regarding what to do about illnesses at camp and how the Health Unit can help to manage outbreaks.
• Key Messages about Head lice
• Messages clés sur les poux de tête
• Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, and Powassan Virus
• Rabies
• Illness Screening - When to Stay Home
• Protection from COVID-19 and other respiratory illness

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Homesick support

Food and Water Safety

• Beach/Lakes/Pools
• Safe Food/Handling
• Don't forget Safe Drinking Water
• Whenever recreational camps open for the season, they are required to provide notification to the Health Unit 14 days before commencing operation. Use our online recreational camp pre-opening notification form to provide the notification. To use this form, you will have to have an electronic version of your camp safety plan to upload before finalizing the notification. Your completed form will go directly to the Environmental Health program for a public health inspector to review prior to your opening inspection.

Weather Alerts and Public Safety

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Ministry of Environment and Climate Change

Public Weather Alerts

Exposure to contaminants

Connect with us

• Contact the Healthy Schools Program for general camp related questions at healthy.schools@healthunit.ca or 1-800-563-2808 ext. 5231.
• Contact the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) Program in the event that a Disease of Public Health Significance (DOPHS) is identified at your camp, or if you suspect that an outbreak may be occurring.

Note: Information regarding both of these can be found in the camp guide. The Communicable Disease Control Program can be reached at 705-474-1400 or 1-800-563-2808, ext. 5229 or by email at cdc@healthunit.ca. 

For a camp inspection please reach out to the Environmental Health program by email at environmental.health@healthunit.ca or by calling 705-474-1400 ext. 5400 or 1-800-563-2808.