Ontario Girl Guides of Canada

UPDATE: November 19th, 2022

The closure and sale of Doe Lake Camp has been adjusted from the previous effective closure date of October 31st, 2022 and move to sale in 2022, to the effective closure date of October 31st, 2025 and moved to sale immediately thereafter in 2025.

UPDATE: December 4th, 2019

The closure and sale of Doe Lake Camp has been adjusted from the previous effective closure date of October 31st, 2021 and move to sale in 2022, to the effective closure date of October 31st, 2022, and move to sale immediately thereafter in 2022.

UPDATE: November 22nd, 2019

The camps listed below are moving to sale, effective immediately:

Please send any questions or comments to property.faq@guidesontario.org.

For additional information about the application and the intervention process, please contact operations.director@guidesontario.org.

Please contact the Provincial Commissioners at provincial.commissioner@guidesontario.org for further information about the application. 

UPDATE: November 2nd, 2018

to all adult members

As previously communicated on May 8th, 2018, Girl Guides of Canada brought an application for the court to provide its direction with regard to the proposed sale of camp properties in Ontario. While the application was scheduled to be heard on May 8, 2018, it was adjourned to permit any interested persons (including any GGC members) to bring a motion to intervene in the application if they wished to be heard. GGC outlined the process for intervention in a memorandum to all GGC members released that same day – the memo remains available on our website. Parties on behalf of two GGC Ontario camps moved to intervene in the application.

GGC and Ontario Council are pleased to report that, as a result of our court appearance on October 9, 2018, the court has granted the following two orders:

1. An order permitting the sale of all GGC camp properties in Ontario (except for the two GGC camps involved in the intervenor motions) at the discretion of Ontario Council, with the net gain from any sales to be put into an externally restricted fund for the delivery of Outdoor Experiences in Ontario. This is the same order that the GGC sought in the application, which was consented to and supported by the Ontario Public Guardian and Trustee.
2. An order establishing a judicial process for GGC and the parties seeking intervenor status to enter into a “good faith business case negotiation” in respect of the two GGC camps involved in the intervenor motions, with the negotiation to be completed by no later than May 2019.

As a result of the first order set out above, the application brought by GGC has now been resolved. Accordingly, the following motion has been passed by Ontario Council on October 11, 2018:

Permission was granted by the courts on October 9, 2018 to move 15 of the Ontario camp properties to closure and subsequent sale with net gain on sale being put into the Outdoor Experience Fund.
Therefore, Ontario Council approves the following schedule of closures/sales for camp properties:

1. Move to Sale effective immediately:
• Camp Carruthers
• Pipers Hill Camp
2. Closed effective October 31, 2018 and move to sale in 2019:
1. Camp Conestogo
2. Camp Kah Ne Do
3. Camp Kienuka
4. Camp Wyoka
3. Closed effective December 31, 2018 and move to sale in 2019:
1. TRHAC
4. Closed effective October 31, 2019 and move to sale in 2020:
• Camp Adelaide
• Camp Orenda
• Bonita Glen Camp
5. Closed effective October 31, 2020 and move to sale in 2021:
• Camp Ademac
• Camp Ma Kee Wa
• Camp Woolsey
6. Closed effective October 31, 2021 and move to sale in 2022:
• Doe Lake Camp
7. As Ontario Council agreed that there was merit to the Camp Tekahionwake business case, this will be allowed to move forward.  Ontario Council reserves the right to review the operations of Camp Teka on an ongoing basis. 
   

This schedule is subject to ongoing review to determine if a change in the schedule is required.  This will be done on a case by case basis. A change could be an extension of time due to improved usage or a reduction of time due to decreased usage or increased financial obligations.

Ontario Council remains committed to continuing to provide wonderful outdoor experiences for girls in Ontario and Nunavut. The net proceeds received through the sale of the camp properties will be devoted exclusively to the continued development and implementation of outdoor experiences for girls.

An evaluation of the Outdoor Experiences fall pilot is currently underway. We are excited by the initial feedback and look forward to launching the next phase on November 5th. Watch for details, which will include winter and spring Outdoor Experiences, an extensive preferred vendor list and GGC property booking information.

Please send any questions or comments to property.faq@guidesontario.org.

The application by Girl Guides of Canada regarding the proposed sale of camp properties in Ontario, which was supported by the Ontario Public Guardian and Trustee, was scheduled to be heard on May 8, 2018. The application was adjourned as a result of a request by two individuals to allow them to consider potentially bringing a motion to act as an intervenor in the application. GGC and the PGT consented to the adjournment. While GGC has a significant interest in ensuring that the application is heard as soon as possible, GGC is also committed to ensuring that all members that wish to seek an opportunity to be heard on the application are able to do so. Ontario Council is pleased that a timetable has been set by the Court regarding any potential motions for intervenor status. This Court Order requires that any individual that intends to bring a motion for intervenor status in the application provide notice in writing to GGC’s counsel by June 1, 2018. GGC is represented by Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP and all notices should be directed to the attention of Lauren Tomasich (ltomasich@osler.com).

Court Order (added May 9th)

Any individual(s) seeking to intervene in the application will have to meet the test for intervention set out in the Ontario Rules of Civil Procedure, and will have to deliver materials in support of an intervention motion according to the timetable set by the Court today. That timetable as it relates to steps for any individual(s) seeking to intervene is as follows:

The court will then hear a motion on October 9, 2018 to determine whether any individuals seeking intervenor status are granted status so as to be able to act as an intervenor in the proceeding.

The Order made by the Court today will be made available on GGC Ontario Council’s website as soon as possible.

Ontario Council looks forward to consideration of our application regarding the proposed sale of camp properties in Ontario. The proposal states that the net proceeds received through these transactions will be devoted exclusively to the continued development and implementation of outdoor experiences for girls.  Ontario Council remains committed to continuing to provide wonderful outdoor experiences for girls in Ontario and Nunavut. That will not change.  The only change would be the locations for those experiences.  Ontario Council wishes to thank representatives of the office of the Public Guardian of Ontario for their collaboration. 

For additional information about the application and the intervention process, please contact Jill Dundas, executive.director@guidesontario.org.

Girl Guides of Canada (GGC) has commenced an application in the Superior Court of Justice for an order that expressly authorizes GGC to sell camp properties owned by GGC in Ontario, if and when GGC Ontario determines any such sale to be appropriate. GGC Ontario has been engaged in a process involving significant analysis and consultation regarding GGC Ontario’s property ownership, and how best to continue to deliver meaningful outdoor experiences to its membership. As announced in June 2017, GGC Ontario has determined that by selling camps presently owned by GGC and using the net proceeds from such sales to provide outdoor experiences to members, GGC will be able to better focus on developing programming and new opportunities for girls rather than putting resources, both financial and volunteer hours, into property management and maintenance.

GGC has consulted with the Ontario Public Guardian and Trustee, which has a role to protect charitable property in Ontario, in bringing this application. We anticipate the PGT will consent to the application. The date of the hearing regarding GGC’s application to the court in respect of camp properties in Ontario has been set for May 8, 2018. The Public Guardian and Trustee will be in attendance at the application and will provide the Court with any submissions in addition to GGC’s that are required to support the application.

Please contact Susan Birnie, Provincial Commissioner at provincial.commissioner@guidesontario.org for further information about the application.