We are a Toronto nonprofit that gives underprivileged youth free ice time, professional coaching, and a full set of equipment they keep for good, removing the financial barriers that keep kids off the ice.
Four days at Leaside Arena. 4 to 7 August. Free for every family.
This is what it costs to put one Toronto child through a single week of hockey. Before anyone touches the ice.
Not because the child did not want it.
Because nobody could pay for it.
Free ice, free coaching, free lunch, and a full set of equipment that is theirs to keep. Families pay nothing.
Camps run at Ted Reeve Community Arena in East Toronto, with Summer Camp 2026 at Leaside Arena from 4 to 7 August. Roughly three hours of ice per day plus dryland training, professional coaching, free lunch, and equipment campers keep for good.
Four days at Leaside Arena from 4 to 7 August. Two ice sessions a day plus dryland, free lunch, and a full set of equipment to keep.
The core curriculum. Four skill tiers from a learn to skate feeder group through to small area games, set after a day one assessment.
Every camper leaves with a full set of equipment that is theirs permanently. Between $400 and $500 of gear per child.
It costs us $860 to put one Toronto child through a camp. Ice is the largest line and equipment plus $500 in gear they keep. We received 100+ applications for a limited number of spots. Funding is the constraint, not demand.
National and local coverage of the programme, plus updates from the rink as each camp cycle comes together.
Two organisations, one in the classroom and one at the rink, exploring a pathway that carries a student from a school assembly to a pair of skates.
Four days of ice and dryland, free lunch, and a full set of equipment for every camper.
Where the programme stands after its first three cycles, and what the numbers mean.
The councillor for Beaches-East York did not watch from the stands on the first morning of March Break Camp. He put skates on.
Four teams, coloured pinnies, a five minute running clock and no offsides. The hockey was raw. The point was not the hockey.
There is a version of this where the athlete arrives, poses, gives a speech about hard work and leaves. He did the opposite.
CTV News covered the March 2026 camp at Ted Reeve Community Arena, filming the first on-ice session.
CP24 came to Ted Reeve Community Arena for the March 2026 camp. Sean Leathong reported on a camp built for children who could not otherwise afford the game.
Four outlets have reported on Open Ice Initiative as a news story. They are not partners and they have not endorsed us.
These outlets reported on Open Ice Initiative as a news story. They are not partners and they have not endorsed us. Each line links to the article.
Reviews from parents and guardians whose children came to a camp.
“My son attended the Open Ice Initiative several days and loved the experience. He was excited to go each day, enjoyed the drills, and spoke often about the coaches. The program helped him become much more confident on the ice, and he even asked to practice more outside of camp. All equipment was provided and was excellent quality, which would have cost our family around $1,000 on our own.”
“My child attended for multiple days and had a very positive experience. He was excited to attend each day and felt welcomed and supported by the staff. The program helped him learn how to skate and build confidence on the ice. As a parent, this experience would have cost our family well over $1,500 to $2,000 to provide on our own.”
“Our eldest daughter attended, along with her siblings, and the experience was incredible. All of her hockey gear was fully provided, so we didn't have to worry about anything. Her skating, confidence, and overall comfort on the ice grew so much.”
“An outstanding program that removes barriers and gives kids a real opportunity to play hockey. From providing equipment to creating a welcoming environment, the impact is amazing.”
Seventy two frames from inside our camps. The first time on the ice, the gear, the coaching, the friends, the families, and the whole group at the end of the week.
Sponsorship runs in three levels priced per camp. Every level puts children on the ice and puts your organisation in front of families, media audiences and a programme with national coverage.
Open Ice Initiative is a Toronto registered nonprofit, not a registered charity, so we cannot issue charitable tax receipts.
Because corporate support delivers logo placement, named programme rights and media association, it can typically be recorded as a marketing or advertising expense. Please confirm the treatment with your finance team. This is not tax advice.
12 organisations pay for the ice, the coaching, the equipment and the lunch, so that no family ever pays anything. Every one of them has a page. Have a look at who they are.
Volunteer at a camp, sponsor a camper, or apply to bring your child. Every route starts with one email.
