Manitoba day camps in limbo waiting for provincial reopening direction
Normally, at the end of June, Osaed Khan, co-founder of Code Cobras, a day camp that teaches kids the basics of computer programming, would be getting everything ready for the summer.
This year, planning is a bit difficult, not only because Khan is fielding a lot more questions from concerned parents than normal.
“They’re wondering if we are going to have camps,” said Khan, adding that parents are also wondering if Code Cobras will have a limit on the number of kids that can attend.
The confusion stems from the province’s reopening plan.
The provincial government has said that day camps will be part of the four-phase summer reopening.
Summer day camps are slated to be included in loosened restrictions tied to the July 1 vaccination target.
Few concrete details have been provided, making planning difficult for camp coordinators like Khan.
“It is a bit challenging with the ambiguous checkpoints,” said Khan.
“If they limit the number of campers at our camp, that’s going to hurt us a lot,” he said. “So, I’m hoping the province may be able to step up and help some smaller camps financially survive.”
Some day camps, like the Assiniboine Zoo Camp, are pre-registering students, assuming camps will be able to operate at 25 per cent capacity by July.
The Manitoba Theatre for Young People is currently planning to hold in-person programming, but also has some remote options in place as a fallback plan “We didn’t want to put out an invitation to sign up for something that we couldn’t deliver,” said Kent Suss, theatre school director with the Manitoba Theatre for Young People.
“We have a whole set of in-person summer programs that are planned but we just haven’t announced them and we’re holding off until we hear from the province that we can open day camps,” he said.
A similar approach is being taken by the Rainbow Resource Centre, which is exclusively holding virtual programming for this year’s edition of its “Camp Aurora” program.
“The pandemic has been quite unpredictable in terms of if we’ll be allowed to open or not,” said Alice Charles, camp coordinator for the Rainbow Resource Centre.
“Doing it virtually just allows us to confirm that we are going to be having a camp.”
The Manitoba Camping Association says it’s been informed by the provincial government that day camps should be able to open at 25 per cent capacity come July 1 if vaccination targets are met.
“It’s a little bit of fingers crossed, a little bit of trusting that people will help us get to that place to open,” said Kim Scherger, the Manitoba Camping Association’s executive director.
“Kids need it so badly, the camps need it, the staff needs it on so many different levels,” she said.
Scherger also expects overnight camps will be able to open at 50 per cent capacity if the province’s August 2nd vaccination target is met.
However, short notice from the province on whether day or overnight camps can operate may create staffing problems, among other logistical issues.
“We may not know until July 20th or later if the August date will happen,” said Scherger. “10 days before then, will a camp be able to open in time?”
“It really depends on the camp and when we would get that information.”
Planning is also a bit of a problem for parents in Manitoba who are also unsure at what capacity camps will be able to operate throughout the summer.
“This is impacting hundreds or thousands of parents across the province who depend on camps to provide childcare during the summer,” said Colin Fast, director of policy for the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.