Fifty years of sending kids to camp

Our namesake

The fund is named in honour of Taylor Statten I, a pioneer of overnight camping in Canada. His vision—that time in nature builds character, leadership, and resilience—remains at the heart of everything we do.

Mission

We provide funding for deserving children to attend accredited summer camps across Canada. Camp builds self-confidence, encourages teamwork, develops leadership, and fosters an appreciation of nature. The Bursary Fund helps bridge the gap between camp fees and a family’s contribution.

How it works

Our bursaries operate through a three-way partnership. The camp offers a reduced fee, the bursary fund covers the majority of the remaining cost, and the family contributes what it can. This shared model keeps everyone invested in the camper’s success.

While we are named after Taylor Statten and were founded by alumni of Camps Ahmek and Wapomeo, we send children to dozens of accredited camps across Canada—not only the Taylor Statten Camps. We are an independent charity, not affiliated with or operated by any particular camp. Bursaries can be applied to any camp accredited by the Ontario Camping Association (OCA) or the Canadian Camping Association (CCA) that participates in the cost-sharing arrangement.

Our commitment

The Board is deeply committed to ensuring no eligible camper is turned away, and works hard to grow fundraising to keep pace with demand. Once accepted, we aim to support each camper for the duration of their camping career—provided they continue to meet eligibility criteria—a potential impact of up to five years per camper.

Over 50+ years of service, the Bursary has funded over 2,000 camping summers. We currently invest approximately $160,000 annually to support 75–85 campers each summer. The average household income of our applicant families is $53,000.

Strengthening communities

Our work extends beyond individual campers. By bringing young people from varied backgrounds into the camping community, we diversify the demographics of partner camps and foster new connections. Campers bring the skills, empathy, and motivation they develop at camp back to their home communities, helping to create the leaders of tomorrow.

Partner camps

The TSCBF is named after Taylor Statten and was founded by alumni of Camps Ahmek and Wapomeo—but we are not those camps, and we do not send children exclusively to Taylor Statten Camps. We fund children at dozens of OCA- and CCA-accredited camps across Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia. The right camp for each child is the one that fits them.

Some of our long-standing partner camps include:

Any OCA- or CCA-accredited camp can participate in the cost-sharing arrangement. Contact us to learn how.