Recreation Manitoba
Recreation Manitoba is a Winnipeg-based non-profit membership organization serving parks, recreation, and therapeutic recreation professionals across Manitoba's seven regions through training courses, conferences, advocacy, grants navigation, and member resources.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersWinnipeg, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Recreation Manitoba does
Recreation Manitoba is a Winnipeg-based non-profit membership organization incorporated in 1996 as Recreation Connections, Inc. and operating under its current name following a 2020 rebrand. The organization functions as the unified provincial voice for parks, recreation, and leisure professionals, practitioners, and volunteers across Manitoba's seven regions (Winnipeg, Westman, Central, Interlake, Eastman, Parkland, Norman). It is the Manitoba affiliate of the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA) and holds a voting seat on the CPRA Board, connecting local practitioners to national advocacy, funding programs, and frameworks. Membership stands at approximately 400, spanning municipalities, healthcare providers, non-profits, and individual practitioners across 80+ communities.
The organization's service portfolio centers on professional development and sector advocacy. Core offerings include the Connect Conference (annual flagship event drawing 200+ delegates with an associated trade show and Connect Regional Cup competition), the Rural Recreation Summit, therapeutic recreation resources and Communities of Practice, paid training courses, an awards program (Prairie Crocus, Therapeutic Recreation Award of Excellence, Pillar Awards), grants and bursaries navigation, and a member resource library. The technology backbone is Wild Apricot membership management software, which handles member accounts, event registrations, and shop transactions; Mailchimp powers newsletter distribution and Podcastle hosts the FUNdamentals of Recreation podcast. No proprietary technology, AI features, or public APIs are evident.
Recreation Manitoba generates revenue through four streams: recurring annual membership fees (raised effective September 1, 2024 after remaining unchanged for over a decade), event registration fees (e.g., $250+ GST per participant for the 2026 Rural Recreation Summit), training courses with member and non-member pricing tiers, and sales of equipment, manuals, and resources through an online shop. The annual operating budget is approximately $280,000 CAD, supported by 1-10 staff and a volunteer Board of Directors. Strategic relationships include core partnerships with CPRA, Marmak/RFAM (asset management software for members), and funding relationships with the Government of Canada and Province of Manitoba for recreation infrastructure programs.
Recreation Manitoba firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Recreation Manitoba
- Legal name
- Recreation Connections, Inc.
- Website
- https://recreationmb.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Recreation Manitoba is a Winnipeg-based non-profit membership organization serving parks, recreation, and therapeutic recreation professionals across Manitoba's seven regions through training courses, conferences, advocacy, grants navigation, and member resources.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Recreation Manitoba industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Association Services
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI), Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG)
Keywords
Where Recreation Manitoba is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Winnipeg
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Recreation Manitoba business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees provide recurring revenue. Membership fees were increased effective September 1, 2024 after remaining constant for over a decade. Fee amounts vary by membership type.
- Event Registration: Revenue from conference and summit registrations such as the Connect Conference and Rural Recreation Summit ($250/participant).
- Training Courses: Revenue from training courses for recreation professionals, with member and non-member pricing.
- Shop Products: Sale of equipment, manuals, resources and other products through the online shop.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Rural Recreation Summit 2026 |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Course and Event Registration |
| Subscription | Annual | Membership Fees |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Cancellation Fee |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
Recreation Manitoba product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Recreation Manitoba is a non-profit membership organization that provides professional development, training courses, conferences, networking, advocacy, and resources for recreation professionals, practitioners, and volunteers across Manitoba. The organization operates a Wild Apricot-powered membership platform offering events, job boards, grants, communities of practice, and member-only content for the parks, recreation, and leisure services sector.
Product overview
Recreation Manitoba is a non-profit membership organization that serves as the provincial voice for parks and recreation in Manitoba. The organization operates as a unified membership platform rather than a modular software product, providing a suite of services including professional training courses, flagship conferences (Connect Conference, Rural Recreation Summit), therapeutic recreation resources, awards programs, grants assistance, and a resource library. The organization's offerings are interconnected through its Wild Apricot-powered membership system, which provides members access to events, job boards, grants, communities of practice, and member-only content. Key offerings include the Connect Conference as the premier annual gathering, training courses for professional development, therapeutic recreation services and community of practice, and various recognition awards for sector contributions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Training Courses Professional development and training courses for recreation practitioners in Manitoba, offered to members and non-members seeking to advance their careers in parks, recreation, and leisure services.
- Connect Conference Provincial annual recreation conference focused on the development of recreation and parks leaders in Manitoba, featuring workshops, networking, and the Connect Regional Cup competition. Attracts 200+ delegates.
- Rural Recreation Summit Summit bringing together rural recreation professionals for education, networking, and collaboration on rural recreation issues, with registration at $250.00 + GST per participant.
- Therapeutic Recreation Services Resources, community of practice meetings, online education series, and pathways to education for therapeutic recreation professionals working in healthcare, long-term care, and community settings in Manitoba.
- Membership Program Annual membership program offering resources, grants, job board access, resource library, communities of practice, and member-only content for recreation professionals across Manitoba's 7 regions.
- Connect Regional Cup Province-wide competition with challenges across Manitoba's seven regions (Winnipeg, Westman, Central, Interlake, Eastman, Parkland, and Norman) to showcase creativity, teamwork, and regional pride.
- FUNdamentals of Recreation Podcast Podcast series sharing insights and discussions on recreation topics for Manitoba practitioners.
- Provincial Newsletter E-newsletter keeping members updated on parks and recreation happenings in Manitoba, sent via Mailchimp.
- Online Shop Sale of equipment, manuals, resources and other products through the online shop for recreation practitioners.
Quantifiable outcome
- Supports recreation professionals from 80+ communities across Manitoba
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Recreation Manitoba
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Recreation Manitoba technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Recreation Manitoba partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA)coreRecreation Manitoba is a voting member of the CPRA Board of Directors. Each Province/Territory nominates a representative to be on the CPRA Board. Recreation Manitoba selects and puts forward the Manitoba representative. CPRA provides national framework, resources, advocacy, and connects provincial associations to national initiatives.
- MarmakcorePartnership with Marmak (parent company of RFAM - Recreation Facility Asset Management) provides members with access to asset management software. Benefits include free access to Inventory module ($2,400 annual value/member), training and support for recreation asset management, and reduced costs on inventory data collection services.
- Active Aging in Manitoba (AAIM)minorPartner of the Month featured organization. AAIM is a not-for-profit dedicated to promoting active aging opportunities for older Manitobans. They operate Manitoba 55+ Games and provide exercise programs like Steppin' Up with Confidence.
- Volunteer ManitobaminorPartner of the Month featured organization. The only volunteer centre in Manitoba, connecting people with volunteer opportunities, promoting volunteerism, and providing leadership to the non-profit sector for over 40 years.
- Manitoba Fitness Council Inc. (MFC)minorNon-profit organization dedicated to promoting quality in fitness leadership. Offers 10 different fitness leader certification options and weekly online workshops for professional development.
- Government of CanadacoreFederal government providing infrastructure funding through programs like the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and the Building Communities Strong Fund for recreation facilities.
- Province of ManitobacoreProvincial government providing funding and support for recreation infrastructure and programs in Manitoba.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Recreation Manitoba competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA): US national recreation and parks membership association. Operates a much broader portfolio (certifications, policy, research, annual congress) and serves as the scale benchmark for what a mature provincial recreation association could become.
Direct peers
- Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA): Provincial association delivering parks and recreation training, advocacy, and networking to Alberta professionals. Closest structural parallel to Recreation Manitoba with comparable CPRA board role for Alberta.
- Recreation Ontario: Ontario's provincial recreation membership body serving practitioners with training, certification, conferences, and advocacy. Comparable mission, scale, and CPRA board function for Canada's largest province.
- Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA): National umbrella body of which Recreation Manitoba is a voting board member. CPRA provides the national framework, federal grant programs (Green Jobs), and advocacy that flow down to Recreation Manitoba and other provincial affiliates.
- Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association (SPRA): Provincial parks and recreation association in neighboring Saskatchewan. Operates member-based training, advocacy, and CPRA representation, mirroring Recreation Manitoba's mandate in an adjacent Prairie province.
- Recreation New Brunswick: Provincial recreation association in New Brunswick providing training, professional development, and CPRA representation to Atlantic Canada practitioners. Direct peer with similar mandate and scale.
- Recreation Nova Scotia: Provincial recreation association delivering training, advocacy, and networking to Nova Scotia recreation professionals. Comparable member-based model and CPRA board representation.
- British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA): Provincial recreation and parks membership association serving British Columbia practitioners. Direct peer operating the same model: membership, training, conferences, advocacy, and CPRA board representation for BC.
Emerging players
- Active Aging in Manitoba (AAIM): Manitoba nonprofit promoting active aging through programs like Manitoba 55+ Games. Listed as a Recreation Manitoba partner and operates within a narrow therapeutic/aging segment of the broader recreation ecosystem.
Regional players
- Sport Manitoba: Provincial sport umbrella in Manitoba. Operates in the same geography and serves overlapping municipal/community audiences but focuses on sport rather than recreation, parks, and leisure services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Recreation Manitoba social profiles
Digital presenceRecreation Manitoba financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Recreation Manitoba leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Recreation Manitoba funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Recreation Manitoba 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 Recreation Manitoba
What does Recreation Manitoba do?
Recreation Manitoba is a non-profit membership organization that provides professional development, training courses, conferences, networking, advocacy, and resources for recreation professionals, practitioners, and volunteers across Manitoba. The organization operates a Wild Apricot-powered membership platform offering events, job boards, grants, communities of practice, and member-only content for the parks, recreation, and leisure services sector.
Is Recreation Manitoba a public or private company?
Recreation Manitoba is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Recreation Manitoba founded?
Recreation Manitoba was founded in 1996. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Recreation Manitoba based?
Recreation Manitoba is headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Recreation Manitoba make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are event Registration, training Courses and shop Products.
Who are Recreation Manitoba's main competitors?
National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA), Recreation Ontario, Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA), Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association (SPRA), Recreation New Brunswick, Recreation Nova Scotia and British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Active Aging in Manitoba (AAIM) is listed as an emerging player. Sport Manitoba is listed as a regional player.
Does Recreation Manitoba have an API?
No public API is recorded for Recreation Manitoba.
What industry is Recreation Manitoba in?
Recreation Manitoba's product category is Professional Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAMAH, Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration, with a secondary code of BPAIACAI, Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services. Its NAICS code is 813410 and its SIC code is 8600.