Canadian Ecology Centre, The

What Canadian Ecology Centre, The does

The Canadian Ecology Centre (CEC) is a non-profit outdoor environmental education and conference centre founded in 1999 and located within Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park in Mattawa, Ontario. The organization delivers experiential, curriculum-linked outdoor education programs for K-12 students, professional development for educators, summer day camps for children ages 6-14, GPS certification courses, and high school credit programs, with programming delivered in both English and French.

The CEC's primary differentiated offering is the OWLS (Outdoor Ways of Learning & Sharing) program, launched in 2019 as a partnership with the Near North District School Board and Nipissing Parry Sound District School Board alongside the Nipissing Parry Sound Public Health Unit. OWLS provides co-planned, co-facilitated outdoor learning experiences and has expanded from a JK-Grade 3 pilot to all grade levels across four regional school boards. The centre's other offerings include a nationally recognized Greencheck GPS certification, immersive high school credit courses, mining education, wilderness first aid, and on-site cabin accommodations.

The CEC operates without government operating subsidies and is sustained through program fees, facility rentals, summer camp registrations, event revenue, and charitable donations. Pricing is structured around per-unit trip packages ranging from $2,400 to $6,900 (plus HST) for multi-day overnight visits, with separate fee structures for OWLS professional development sessions ($350-$2,500 plus HST). Following an EF2 downburst storm on June 21, 2025 that forced the first closure in the centre's 27-year history, the organization is rebuilding capacity and has stated it requires $500,000 in funding to remain operational, with reopening announced for May 8, 2026.

Name

Canadian Ecology Centre, The

Legal name

The Canadian Ecology Centre

Website

https://canadianecology.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Canadian Ecology Centre is a non-profit outdoor environmental education centre in Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park, Ontario, serving K-12 school groups, educators, and families through curriculum-linked outdoor programs, OWLS professional development, summer camps, and cabin accommodations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Interpretation & Education Centers (Visitor Centers, Museums) (THAAAFAG), Environmental Interpretation & Ranger-Led Education Programs (Visitor Education) (THAAAOAJ), Outdoor / Nature-Based Childcare Centers (EDACAAAO)

Keywords

• Outdoor environmental education
• Experiential learning programs
• Professional development courses
• Summer nature camps
• Outdoor education facility

Headquarters

HQ city

Mattawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Educational Program Fees: Revenue from school group visits, overnight trips, and day programs. Pricing based on duration and group size, ranging from 2-day/1-night to 5-day/4-night programs.
2. Facility Rentals: Cabin rentals and accommodations for visiting groups. Modern heated accommodations with private bathrooms and private entrances.
3. Summer Camps: Day camp programs for children ages 6-14 featuring outdoor adventure, discovery, and nature exploration.
4. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable foundation donations to support operations. The centre is seeking $500,000 to remain operational after storm damage closure.
5. Professional Development Services: OWLS Mentor program ($2,500 + HST) and OWLS Discover sessions ($350 + HST) providing professional development for educators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Canadian Ecology Centre is a non-profit outdoor environmental education and conference centre located in Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park in Mattawa, Ontario. It delivers day and overnight outdoor education programs aligned with the Ontario curriculum (JK-12), professional development for educators (OWLS), GPS certification courses, summer day camps for children ages 6-14, immersive high school credit courses, cabin accommodations, and community events.

Product overview

The Canadian Ecology Centre operates as a non-profit outdoor environmental education and conference facility offering a portfolio of educational products and services. Its core offerings include day and overnight outdoor education programs for schools aligned with Ontario curriculum (K-12), the OWLS (Outdoor Ways of Learning & Sharing) professional development program for educators, GPS certification courses, and immersive high school credit programs. The centre also runs seasonal summer day camps for children and provides professional development courses in wilderness skills. Accommodations (cabin rentals) and community events serve as supplementary offerings that support the primary educational mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OWLS (Outdoor Ways of Learning & Sharing): A professional development program for educators and outdoor learning initiative launched in 2019 in partnership with Near North District School Board, Nipissing Parry Sound Public Health Unit, and the Canadian Ecology Centre.

Products and services

• Outdoor Education Programs Day and overnight educational field trips for schools and youth groups, tailored to group needs and linked to the Ontario curriculum from Kindergarten to Grade 12, available in French and English.
• OWLS: Outdoor Ways of Learning & Sharing A professional development program for educators that supports creating safe, experiential, curriculum-linked, and inquiry-based outdoor lessons flowing between outdoor and indoor learning environments. Includes Mentor, Discover, and Custom program options for schools and teachers.
• GPS Certification Program (Greencheck) Nationally recognized Greencheck GPS certification program delivered by qualified instructors, covering UTM and Lat/Long coordinate systems, compass work, and GPS unit application; available as basic and advanced courses brought directly to schools and organizations.
• High School Credit Program Immersive residential program where students earn high school credits while living on-site, blending curriculum-based coursework with hands-on outdoor experiences like hiking, canoeing, field studies, and team-building in subjects such as science and geography.
• Summer Day Camps Outdoor adventure day camps for children ages 6-14, offering hands-on nature exploration, skills-building, and forest experiences during summer months.
• Professional Development Courses (Mining Education, Wilderness Water Safety, Forest Therapy, Wilderness First Aid) Courses for educators and professionals including Mining Education, Wilderness Water Safety, Forest Therapy, and Wilderness First Aid certification programs.
• Cabin Accommodations Modern, heated cabin rentals with private bathrooms, linens, and private entrances, available for groups and individual bookings at the Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park location.
• Events and Retreats Various community events including Summer Solstice, Christmas in the Forest, Wild & Fit, Stories & Songs, and other seasonal programs for visitors and supporters, with some serving as fundraising initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Program expanded from JK-Grade 3 to all grades across all four local school boards
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Conseil scolaire publique du Nord-Est de l'OntariocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023French-language public school board partner receiving OWLS programming to support outdoor learning experiences in French.
• Canadore CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Sponsored the Words in the Woods literary event for two years, bringing leading Canadian authors to the CEC.
• Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Participated in OWLS program evaluation and implementation across Catholic schools in the region.
• Conseil scolaire catholique Franco-NordcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022French-language school board partner receiving OWLS programming in French to support French Immersion programs and bilingual classrooms.
• Near North District School BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Founding partner in OWLS (Outdoor Ways of Learning & Sharing) program. Collaborates on curriculum-linked outdoor learning experiences and teacher professional development across the school board.
• Nipissing Parry Sound Public Health UnitcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Health unit supported evaluation of the OWLS pilot program during the school year for all four local school boards.
• Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park / Ontario ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Co-located within the provincial park; coordinated reopening efforts following June 2025 storm damage.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Evergreen: Canadian nonprofit focused on urban nature, school ground greening, and outdoor learning. Overlaps with CEC in advancing outdoor learning in schools, but its urban focus differentiates its setting.

Broad incumbents

• Ontario Nature: Provincial nonprofit focused on nature conservation, education, and stewardship. Compares to CEC on the environmental education mission, though Ontario Nature operates primarily as a conservation advocacy organization.
• Royal Botanical Gardens: Larger Canadian nonprofit operating public nature sites, visitor programming, and K–12 environmental education. Comparable in delivering nature-based education and visitor experiences, though at broader scale.

Direct peers

• Inside Education: Alberta-based nonprofit delivering environmental and outdoor education programs to teachers and K–12 students, with curriculum-linked offerings and professional development. Closely parallels CEC's OWLS-style school outreach model.
• Camp Kawartha: Ontario-based nonprofit summer camp and outdoor education centre near Peterborough offering K–12 outdoor programs, summer camps, and environmental education — directly comparable to CEC's overnight programs and day camps.
• Outward Bound Canada: Canadian nonprofit delivering experiential outdoor education, leadership, and wilderness programs to schools and youth. Highly comparable to CEC's outdoor, curriculum-linked, residential experiential model.
• Wild Ontario: Canadian outdoor education nonprofit delivering wildlife and environmental education programs, including ambassador animal and school programs — comparable to CEC's curriculum-linked environmental programming.

Regional players

• Long Point Eco-Adventures: Ontario-based provider of outdoor education, eco-adventures, and accommodations in a natural setting. Comparable to CEC's overnight programming and group bookings model, though operating on a different site.

Others

• Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park / Ontario Parks: The provincial park operator that hosts CEC's facilities. While not a competitor, it is a key ecosystem partner that controls site access and is coordinating post-storm reopening — making it a structurally adjacent entity to CEC's operations.
• Canadian Environmental Education and Outdoor Leadership Programs (various): Cluster of Canadian colleges and nonprofits (e.g., Algonquin College Outdoor Adventure programs, Canadore College partnerships) providing wilderness, forestry, and outdoor leadership training — comparable to CEC's professional development and GPS certification offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Canadian.Ecology.Centre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-canadian-ecology-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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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 Canadian Ecology Centre, The