What Power To Be does

Power To Be is a registered Canadian charity founded in 1998 and operating under the legal name Power To Be Adventure Therapy Society (Charitable Registration Number 86126 9959 RR0001). Its functional role is to deliver barrier-free outdoor adventure programs—kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, canoeing, paddleboarding, geocaching, and yoga—for youth, adults, and families living with cognitive, physical, financial, and social barriers. Programs are delivered directly by trained facilitators using assistive technology (e.g., TrailRider-adapted hiking), with participants offered low-cost or no-cost participation to remove financial barriers. The operating model combines single-day and multi-day recreation formats (including Have A Go Days, overnight camping, and seasonal camps) with structured cohorts, namely the Wilderness School (two-year extracurricular program for grade 8 youth), the Landscaping and Restoration Training Program (12-week employment-readiness program for adults ages 18–25), and the Ferns & Salal weekly after-school cohorts for youth ages 7–15.

The business model is community-led and donation-anchored rather than commercial. Revenue streams include individual donations and monthly/legacy giving, low-cost program fees, corporate partnerships (e.g., Bell Let's Talk), and fundraising events such as the Power To Play Summit and Race. Distribution is direct: programs are run in-person by staff and volunteers at outdoor sites across British Columbia, with the headquarters on a 4633 Prospect Lake Road site in Victoria (on the unceded lands of the W̱SÁNEĆ and Lək̓ʷəŋən peoples) and a general office presence in the Vancouver region. The organization reports 101–250 employees, delivered 415+ programs in 2024 serving 3,719+ participant visits, and operates within a network of 70+ community partners spanning federal, provincial, and regional park authorities as well as specialist NGOs.

Operationally, Power To Be is differentiated not by proprietary technology but by ecosystem relationships—long-standing partnerships with BC Parks, Capital Regional District, Metro Vancouver, Parks Canada, BC Parks Foundation, Rocky Point Bird Observatory, and Special Bird Service—and by compliance posture, holding Living Wage BC 2025, Inclusive Employer, 1% for the Planet, BC Camps Association, and Project Zero Circular Leader certifications. The organization has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no outside equity investors; governance rests with a Board of Directors and funding flows through charitable, grant, and corporate-partnership channels. As a registered charity operating in the BC inclusive-outdoor niche for over 26 years, its defensibility is grounded in partnership access, certified operating standards, and brand trust rather than in scalable software or proprietary IP.

Name

Power To Be

Legal name

Power To Be Adventure Therapy Society

Website

https://powertobe.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Power To Be is a registered Canadian charity founded in 1998 that delivers barrier-free outdoor adventure programs—including kayaking, hiking, and rock climbing—for youth, adults, and families facing cognitive, physical, financial, and social barriers in British Columbia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Victoria

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Power To Be is a registered charity (86126 9959 RR0001) that relies on donations from individuals, monthly giving, and legacy gifts to sustain programs and support participants.
2. Program Fees: Revenue generated through program participation fees, with low-cost and no-cost options available to address financial barriers.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partnerships provide financial support and resources for program delivery.
4. Fundraising Events: Community-led fundraisers and events generate additional revenue for the organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Power To Be runs barrier-free outdoor adventure programs for youth, adults, and families living with cognitive, physical, financial, and social barriers. Offerings include single-day programs (canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, rock climbing, yoga, hiking), multi-day programs (overnight camping, spring break and summer day camps), and cohort programs (Wilderness School, Landscaping and Restoration Training, Ferns & Salal Cohorts). Programs are delivered at low or no cost in Victoria and Vancouver, BC.

Product overview

Power To Be is a registered charity offering barrier-free outdoor adventure programs for youth, adults, and families. The organization operates a portfolio of programs including Single-Day Programs (kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, yoga, canoeing, paddle boarding), Multi-Day Programs (overnight camping, spring break and summer day camps), and Cohort Programs (Wilderness School for grade 8 youth, Landscaping and Restoration Training for young adults, and Ferns & Salal adaptive programs for youth ages 7-15). Programs are delivered in Victoria and Vancouver, BC, with a focus on accessibility for people facing cognitive, physical, financial, and social barriers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wilderness School: A two-year extracurricular cohort program for independent youth in grade 8 who identify with social, emotional, or financial barriers.
• Landscaping and Restoration Training Program
• Ferns & Salal Cohorts

Products and services

• Single-Day Programs One-day outdoor adventure programs focused on skill and community building through canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, rock climbing, yoga, hiking, and Have A Go Days, offered to youth, adults, and families facing barriers in Victoria and Vancouver.
• Multi-Day Programs Progressive multi-day adventures for the same group of participants across 3-4 sessions, including overnight camping programs and spring break and summer day camps for youth, adults, and families experiencing barriers.
• Wilderness School Two-year extracurricular cohort program for independent youth in grade 8 who identify with social, emotional, or financial barriers, delivering progressive outdoor and personal development experiences.
• Landscaping and Restoration Training Program 12-week employment and training program for adults ages 18-25 interested in building landscaping and restoration literacy and supporting community connections.
• Ferns & Salal Cohorts Adaptive weekly after-school programs for youth ages 7-11 and 12-15, providing ongoing nature-based activities and community building.
• Community Programs Partnership-based outdoor programs facilitated in BC parks with BC Parks, CRD, Metro Vancouver, Parks Canada, BC Parks Foundation, Rocky Point Bird Observatory, Special Bird Service, schools, and other charitable organizations to serve a variety of community needs.
• Have A Go Days Single-day introductory events that let participants try various outdoor activities in a supportive environment.
• Workshops and Training Training and workshop offerings for participants and community members to build outdoor skills and knowledge.

Quantifiable outcome

• 415+ programs offered in 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• BC ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBC Parks is a key partner facilitating community programs in local BC parks. Power To Be works with BC Parks to provide accessible outdoor adventure programs.
• Capital Regional District (CRD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRD partners with Power To Be to facilitate community programs in regional parks throughout the Capital Regional District.
• Metro VancouvercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetro Vancouver collaborates with Power To Be to deliver community programs in Metro Vancouver parks and natural areas.
• Parks CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParks Canada partners with Power To Be to facilitate accessible programs in national parks and heritage sites.
• BC Parks FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBC Parks Foundation supports Power To Be's mission to create access to nature for people with barriers.
• Rocky Point Bird ObservatorysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPower To Be works with Rocky Point Bird Observatory to run collaborative bird watching programs for participants.
• Special Bird ServicesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPower To Be partners with Special Bird Service to deliver collaborative bird observation programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Outward Bound Canada: Outward Bound Canada is a charitable outdoor education NPO delivering wilderness adventure programs for youth and adults, very directly comparable to Power To Be's outdoor adventure and skill-development model. Both organizations use experiential outdoor learning as a vehicle for personal development.
• Take a Hike Foundation: Take a Hike Foundation engages at-risk youth through outdoor adventure-based learning programs in British Columbia, closely mirroring Power To Be's Wilderness School cohort model and barrier-focused youth programming. Both are BC-based NPOs using outdoor activity as an engagement vehicle.
• Canadian Adaptive Snowsports (CADS): CADS is a Canadian charity that provides adaptive snowsports instruction for people with disabilities, making it a direct peer in the adaptive outdoor recreation NPO category. It addresses similar physical and cognitive accessibility needs as Power To Be's barrier-free adventure programs.
• Christie Lake Kids: Christie Lake Kids is an Ottawa-based charity providing year-round outdoor recreation and skill-building programs for children and youth facing financial barriers, very comparable to Power To Be's Ferns & Salal and Wilderness School cohorts. Both are Canadian NPOs focused on accessible outdoor experiences for underserved youth.
• Right To Play Canada: Right To Play uses sport and play for development, operating inclusive outdoor and physical programs for marginalized children and youth in Canada. The model and target population overlap with Power To Be's barrier-focused programming, though Right To Play's geographic scope is broader.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA BC (YMCA of Greater Vancouver / Y of Greater Victoria): YMCA BC operates large-scale community recreation, day-camp, and youth development programs across the same BC regions as Power To Be. It is a broader incumbent offering inclusive outdoor and camp experiences as part of a much wider portfolio of community services.
• Special Olympics Canada: Special Olympics Canada is a national NPO providing year-round sports training and competition for individuals with intellectual disabilities, overlapping with Power To Be's mission of inclusive outdoor programming for people facing cognitive and other barriers. It is a much larger, multi-sport incumbent.

Emerging players

• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Vancouver: Boys & Girls Club of Greater Vancouver delivers after-school and outdoor programs for youth facing socioeconomic barriers, partially overlapping with Power To Be's Ferns & Salal cohorts. It is a broader youth-services NPO rather than an outdoor-specialist.
• Evergreen Canada: Evergreen is a Canadian charity focused on reconnecting people with nature through school ground greening and outdoor education programs, partially overlapping with Power To Be's nature-based community programming. It emphasizes environmental outcomes over adaptive recreation.

Others

• Leave No Trace Canada: Leave No Trace Canada is a nonprofit that delivers outdoor ethics education and training across Canada, adjacent to Power To Be's workshops and training line. It is an enabling/thematic peer in outdoor education rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PowerToBe

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Power To Be