City of Toronto releases 2023 winter program listingsCity of Toronto releases 2023 winter program listings

Winter recreation programs begin on Monday, January 9 and run for nine weeks. (File photo: Jason Blackeye/Unsplash)

Starting today, the City of Toronto’s 2023 winter recreation programs listings are available to view online to help Toronto residents prepare for registration on Tuesday, December 6.

Winter recreation programs begin on Monday, January 9 and run for nine weeks. This will be the first time the City has offered a full suite of winter recreation programs since 2020. This past winter, under provincial guidelines, in-person recreation programs were suspended to limit the transmission of COVID-19.

Registration for winter recreation programs starts at 7 a.m. on:

• Tuesday, December 6 – Etobicoke York (including York South-Weston) and Toronto and East York
• Wednesday, December 7 – North York and Scarborough

The City will offer approximately 11,200 winter recreation programs with 112,000 spaces for programming in arts and sports such as skating, swimming, basketball, ballet, piano and yoga. The City is the largest provider of recreation programs for people of all ages, skill levels and interests.

Spaces are still available for Holiday CampTO, with camps set to run during the winter school break. More information is available on the City’s CampTO webpage.

Residents can visit the City’s Winter Recreation Programs webpage for the winter programming and registration information. The quickest and easiest way to register is online when registration opens on December 6.

For in-person registration support, five community centre locations will be open on the following dates, from 7 a.m. to noon:

• Tuesday, December 6
  • Driftwood Community Recreation Centre, 4401 Jane St.
  • Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreation Centre, 220 Cowan Ave.
  • Wellesley Community Centre, 495 Sherbourne St.
• Wednesday, December 7
  • Centennial Recreation Centre, 1967 Ellesmere Rd.
  • Dennis R. Timbrell Resource Centre, 29 St. Dennis Dr.

Residents who need help preparing for registration can call 416-396-7378, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The call centre will be open for extended hours on Monday, December 5, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Residents need a family and client number to sign up for recreation programs and are encouraged to have them ready before registration day. To get a client and family number, residents can set up a new account or retrieve their existing numbers by phone or online.

The City’s recreation programs are popular, and many have waiting lists. If registrants cannot attend their program, they are asked to contact their local community centre or call the customer service line at 416-396-7378 to cancel their registration so that a spot can be offered to someone else.

Discounts and free recreation programs
Many community centres offer free recreation programs, including leisure swimming and drop-in programs for children, youth and older adults. Participants 60 years and older receive a 50 per cent discount on the regular price of adult recreation programs, excluding private, semi-private and small group lessons. More information about free programs and other subsidies for recreation programs is available on the City’s Free and Lower-Cost Recreation Options webpage.

Welcome Policy yearly credit
The Welcome Policy credit can be used to register for City recreation programs. Those who receive social assistance (Ontario Works) and live in Toronto are pre-approved to receive this credit and should speak to their caseworker or can apply online. Toronto residents with a before-tax total family income below the Low-Income Cut off (LICO) threshold may also apply for the Welcome Policy by visiting the City’s Welcome Policy webpage.

Recreation jobs
The City continues to hire for all recreation positions, including skate program instructors, rink guards, facility attendants and gatekeepers, sports, fitness and swimming instructors and lifeguards. More information about available positions and upcoming information sessions is available on the City’s Recreation Jobs webpage.

Quotes:

“This winter, the City is offering thousands of diverse and dynamic winter recreation programs, both drop-in and registered. I want to thank staff for all they do to support the programs so that Torontonians of all ages can try a new activities, develop talent and stay moving during the snowy season. I’m also pleased that the City is continuing to recruit for all recreation jobs. I encourage people across Toronto to apply for these high-quality positions where they’ll gain remarkable experience.”
– Mayor John Tory

Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter , Instagram or Facebook .