Ontario Parks Association

What Ontario Parks Association does

Ontario Parks Association (OPA) is a registered charitable, membership-based professional association founded in 1936 and headquartered in Cambridge, Ontario. The organization serves parks professionals working in Ontario's parks, recreation, and green infrastructure sectors, providing professional development, training, advocacy, scholarships, and networking services. OPA is a member of the Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition and operates under the registered trademark tagline "Protecting Tomorrow Today®".

OPA's core product portfolio consists of the OPA Membership program, the Annual Parks Education Forum, training and education programs, OPAF Scholarships and Bursaries, student awards, and The Green Sward, OPA's official publication offering advertising to organizations targeting parks professionals. The underlying technology is the Wild Apricot membership management platform, extended with Google, Microsoft, and Apple single sign-on for member authentication. The technology footprint is standard association SaaS rather than proprietary infrastructure.

OPA's business model is a non-profit, membership-fee-driven recurring revenue model supplemented by training program fees, annual forum attendance fees, and advertising revenue from The Green Sward. Go-to-market is community-led: members enroll directly through the Wild Apricot-powered website and engage through the annual forum, email communications, and events. OPA operates only within Ontario and employs approximately 9 staff including an Executive Director, Office Manager, and Interim Training Coordinator.

Name

Ontario Parks Association

Legal name

Ontario Parks Association

Website

https://ontarioparksassociation.memberlodge.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ontario Parks Association is a registered charitable, membership-based professional association founded in 1936 in Cambridge, Ontario, that provides training, advocacy, scholarships, and networking services to parks professionals across Ontario.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Parks Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education & Community Programs (Junior Ranger, Citizen Science, School Programs) (THAAAGAK)

Keywords

• Parks professional training
• Parks advocacy association
• Green infrastructure education
• Membership association services
• Parks management certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The organization operates as a registered charitable organization generating revenue through annual membership fees from parks professionals and related stakeholders in Ontario.
2. Training and Education Programs: Revenue generated from training programs, the Annual Parks Education Forum, and educational services provided to parks professionals.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ontario Parks Association is a registered charitable professional association that provides membership, training, annual education forums, scholarships, and advocacy services to parks and open-space professionals across Ontario. The organization's core deliverable is a community-driven portfolio of professional development programs and advocacy for the preservation of living green infrastructure assets.

Product overview

Ontario Parks Association operates as a single unified membership-based nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs for parks and open spaces professionals. The core offerings include the OPA Membership program (providing access to the organization's network and resources), Annual Parks Education Forum (annual conference), Training Programs (professional development), OPAF Scholarships and Bursaries (financial aid), Student Awards (student recognition), and The Green Sward (advertising publication). The organization uses Wild Apricot membership software as its technology platform for member management. The organization is a member of the Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OPA Membership Annual membership program providing Ontario parks and open-space professionals with access to the association's network, training resources, advocacy representation, and member benefits.
• Annual Parks Education Forum Annual professional development conference delivering education sessions, networking opportunities, and industry updates for parks professionals in Ontario.
• Training Programs Professional training and education programs for Ontario parks staff covering operational and management skills for green infrastructure and park operations.
• OPAF Scholarships and Bursaries Financial support programs for students and professionals pursuing education in parks and open-space management fields.
• The Green Sward Official publication of Ontario Parks Association offering advertising opportunities for organizations seeking to reach parks professionals, with the publication serving as a sector communication channel.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Green Infrastructure Ontario CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOntario Parks Association is a proud member of the Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition, indicating a strategic alliance focused on advocacy and initiatives related to green infrastructure in Ontario. This membership provides OPA with collaborative advocacy opportunities and network access within the green infrastructure sector.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Recreation and Parks Association of the Maritimes (RPAM): Provincial recreation and parks membership association serving Atlantic Canada. Direct peer with similar professional association model, training programs, advocacy role, and member services for parks/recreation professionals in its region.
• BC Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA): British Columbia's provincial recreation and parks association. Direct peer offering similar member services, training, and advocacy in a different Canadian province—useful comparator for OPA's programming and governance model.
• Canadian Parks Council: National coordinating body for Canadian park systems, working with provincial and territorial park agencies. Peer in parks sector advocacy and policy, operating at federal/national level while OPA focuses on Ontario professionals.
• Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA): National Canadian association advancing parks and recreation through research, advocacy, and programming. Direct peer at national level with overlapping advocacy and professional development mission.
• Ontario Recreation and Facilities Association (ORFA): Ontario-based membership association for recreation and facilities professionals. Direct peer serving overlapping Ontario persona with training, certification, and advocacy—competes for member mindshare in the same regional market.
• Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA): Provincial recreation and parks association serving Alberta. Direct peer with comparable member-based professional association model, training programs, and advocacy for parks/recreation professionals in a different Canadian province.

Broad incumbents

• National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA): Largest US-based professional association for parks, recreation, and conservation professionals. Broad incumbent offering certification, training, advocacy, and conferences at national scale, with overlapping mission to OPA's but operating in a much larger market.

Regional players

• Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association (SPRA): Provincial parks and recreation association in Saskatchewan with similar member-based training and advocacy model. Regional peer operating in different Canadian province, useful for benchmarking OPA's program and member engagement approach.

Emerging players

• Society for Parks and Recreation Educators (SPRE): Specialized network within the broader park/recreation profession focused on education and curriculum. Adjacent peer with narrower education-only focus, useful for understanding how OPA's training programs compare.

Others

• Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition: Coalition of organizations OPA is a member of, focused on green infrastructure policy advocacy in Ontario. Strategic partner/allied organization rather than competitor, with overlapping sector interest but different operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ontario-parks-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Ontario Parks Association