Five Oaks
Five Oaks is a registered Canadian non-profit retreat centre operating since 1953 on 116 acres in Paris, Ontario, offering facility rentals, retreat programs, day camps (Acorn Adventure Camp), and catering to faith groups, schools, corporate teams, and community organizations in Southern Ontario.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1953
- HeadquartersParis, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Five Oaks does
Five Oaks is a registered Canadian non-profit charity and retreat centre founded in 1953, operating on a 116-acre property at 1 Bethel Road, Paris, Ontario, situated on Six Nations of the Grand River territory at the confluence of the Grand River and Whitemans Creek. The organization generates revenue through four primary streams: facility rentals (accommodations, meeting spaces, and amenities for external groups), proprietary programs and retreats (including the Acorn Adventure Camp, which served 456 participants in 2022, and interfaith events such as the 'Simply Be' and 'Weaving Our Stories' programs), catering services, and ancillary revenue from a $25 annual membership program and tax-receipted donations. Its customer base spans churches and faith-based groups, school groups, corporate teams seeking offsite retreats, and community organizations across Southern Ontario.
The core product offering is a bundled hospitality service rather than a technology product: lodging, meeting/event space, catering, and structured programming delivered on a single natural site featuring a rare Carolinian Forest ecosystem with over 400 species. The technology footprint is minimal — a Venue360 booking platform, a WordPress-based website, and standard email/social channels — with no proprietary software, AI, or platform integrations. The go-to-market model is direct-to-consumer through website inquiry forms and seasonal Indeed hiring for summer camp staff. Funding is diversified across earned program fees, individual donations and memberships, and institutional grants from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, County of Brant, regional tourism authorities, and federal/provincial governments. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Pegi Ridout and led operationally by Executive Director Michael Shewburg.
The business model is best characterized as community-asset stewardship rather than growth-stage enterprise. Five Oaks operates as a single integrated venue at one location, with no subsidiaries, franchise model, or expansion footprint beyond Southern Ontario. Its defensibility rests on the irreplaceability of the 116-acre natural site, 70+ years of institutional trust, and a dense network of community and faith-based partnerships, rather than on scale advantages or technology moats.
Five Oaks firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Five Oaks
- Legal name
- Five Oaks Centre
- Website
- https://fiveoaks.on.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1953
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Five Oaks is a registered Canadian non-profit retreat centre operating since 1953 on 116 acres in Paris, Ontario, offering facility rentals, retreat programs, day camps (Acorn Adventure Camp), and catering to faith groups, schools, corporate teams, and community organizations in Southern Ontario.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Five Oaks industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Retreat and Event Venue Services
- NAICS
- Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Nature Lodges & Eco-Resorts (THAAAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Eco-Camps & Sustainable Camping Retreats (THAGAOAE), Wellness & Retreat Stays (Yoga, Spa, Detox) (THAMADAJ)
Keywords
Where Five Oaks is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Five Oaks business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Facility Rentals: Revenue generated from renting the retreat centre facilities, accommodations, meeting spaces, and amenities to groups and individuals for various gatherings and events.
- Programs and Retreats: Revenue from Five Oaks' own programs including retreats, events, day camps (Acorn Adventure Camp), and outdoor education programs.
- Membership: Annual membership fees of $25 per calendar year, providing voting privileges at AGM and access to member events and communications.
- Donations: Tax-receipted donations accepted for general programming and operations support. Five Oaks is a registered charity.
- Catering Services: Food and catering services provided to rental groups and program participants.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual individual membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Five Oaks product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Five Oaks is a non-profit retreat centre on 116 acres in Paris, Ontario, offering facility rentals (accommodations, meeting spaces, amenities) and on-site programs including retreats, day camps (Acorn Adventure Camp), school group nature programs, and team retreats. The centre generates revenue from venue rentals, catering, program fees, memberships, and donations.
Product overview
Five Oaks is a non-profit retreat centre offering a unified set of programs and services. The core offerings include: retreat programs (spiritual, wellness, and personal development retreats), day camps (Acorn Adventure Camp for children), facility rentals (accommodations, meeting spaces, and catering for external groups), school group programs (nature-based outdoor education), team retreats, membership program, and donation options. The centre operates as a single integrated hospitality service rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Facility Rentals
- Retreat Programs
- Day Camps (Acorn Adventure Camp)
- School Group Programs
- Team Retreats
- Membership Program
- Donation Programs
- Catering Services
Companies that use Five Oaks
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Five Oaks technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Five Oaks partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Six Nations of the Grand RivercoreFive Oaks is located on Six Nations territory. The organisation acknowledges this as central to its identity and location, demonstrating commitment to Indigenous land recognition and reconciliation.
- United Church of CanadacoreUCC is listed as a community partner and recognised as a longstanding supporter of Five Oaks. The centre has historical ties to the United Church.
- Brantford MosqueminorCommunity partner listed on Five Oaks website.
- Wildscape SoulminorProgram partner for retreats including the 'Simply Be' program. Tanya Dyck Steinmann, founder of Wildscape Soul, frequently facilitates retreats at Five Oaks.
- Brave WavesminorCommunity partner listed on Five Oaks website.
- Grand River RaftingminorCommunity partner offering potential outdoor activity combinations with Five Oaks retreats.
- Grand River BooksminorCommunity partner listed on Five Oaks website.
- Rogers RanchminorCommunity partner listed on Five Oaks website.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Five Oaks competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Evergreen Brick Works: A Toronto-based non-profit urban venue offering nature programs, events, and group rentals on a redeveloped industrial site. Comparable as a Canadian non-profit venue hosting group bookings, programs, and community events in a nature-focused setting.
- Wanuskewin Heritage Park: A heritage and cultural park near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, operating on Indigenous land with educational and visitor programming. Comparable for its nature/cultural setting on First Nations territory and educational program stack, though it operates outside Ontario.
Direct peers
- Camp Kintail: A Presbyterian-affiliated camp and retreat centre in Ontario offering summer camps and year-round group rentals. Directly comparable as an Ontario-based non-profit that combines day/summer camps with facility rentals.
- Loyola House (Ignatius Jesuit Centre): A Jesuit retreat and conference centre in Guelph, Ontario, offering group retreats, spiritual programs, and accommodations. Comparable as a faith-rooted Ontario retreat venue with similar programming and target audiences.
- Cedar Ridge Camp: An Ontario-based camp and retreat centre providing outdoor education, summer camp programs, and group rental facilities. Comparable for its combination of children's day/residential camp programming and retreat/group bookings.
- Hollyhock: A Canadian non-profit retreat centre on Cortes Island, BC, offering wellness, leadership, and arts programs on a coastal natural property. Directly comparable as a Canadian retreat venue combining lodging, programs, and a nature-based setting.
- Providence Point: A Catholic retreat centre in Ontario offering accommodations, meeting spaces, and spiritual retreat programming. Comparable as a Southern Ontario non-profit retreat venue serving faith-based group rentals.
Emerging players
- Tawingo Cabins: A small Ontario nature-based accommodation and retreat venue offering group stays and outdoor programming. Comparable as a niche Ontario operator combining cabin-style accommodations with retreat and team-building bookings.
Broad incumbents
- Royal Roads University (Hatley Castle / Hospitality Services): A BC-based university operating event, conference, and retreat spaces on a heritage natural estate. Comparable as a venue offering accommodations, meeting space, and program-led experiences on a large natural property, though at significantly larger scale.
- YMCA Camp Wanakita: A large Ontario YMCA camp offering summer camp, outdoor education, and group retreats. Broader incumbent with overlapping programming but a wider portfolio across the YMCA network.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Five Oaks social profiles
Digital presenceFive Oaks financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Five Oaks leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Five Oaks funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Five Oaks M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Five Oaks
What does Five Oaks do?
Five Oaks is a non-profit retreat centre on 116 acres in Paris, Ontario, offering facility rentals (accommodations, meeting spaces, amenities) and on-site programs including retreats, day camps (Acorn Adventure Camp), school group nature programs, and team retreats. The centre generates revenue from venue rentals, catering, program fees, memberships, and donations.
Is Five Oaks a public or private company?
Five Oaks is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Five Oaks founded?
Five Oaks was founded in 1953. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Five Oaks based?
Five Oaks is headquartered in Paris, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Five Oaks make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Facility Rentals are the primary driver. The others are programs and Retreats, membership, donations and catering Services.
Who are Five Oaks's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Evergreen Brick Works and Wanuskewin Heritage Park. Direct peers are Camp Kintail, Loyola House (Ignatius Jesuit Centre), Cedar Ridge Camp, Hollyhock and Providence Point. Tawingo Cabins is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Royal Roads University (Hatley Castle / Hospitality Services) and YMCA Camp Wanakita.
Does Five Oaks have an API?
No public API is recorded for Five Oaks.
What industry is Five Oaks in?
Five Oaks's product category is Retreat and Event Venue Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAAAAI, Nature Lodges & Eco-Resorts, with a secondary code of THAGAOAE, Eco-Camps & Sustainable Camping Retreats. Its NAICS code is 721214 and its SIC code is 7000.