Scouts Canada


Scouts Canada is a Canadian Scouting association that provides programs for young people ages 5 to 26. It aims "to help develop well-rounded youth, better prepared for success in the world." Scouts Canada, in affiliation with the French-language Association des Scouts du Canada, is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.
In 2022-2023, there were 41,733 youth members and 12,960 volunteers in Scouts Canada. The association has declined significantly in size since its peak in 1965: youth membership is down 85% from 288,084, and volunteers are down 61% from 33,524.

Values

Scouts Canada follows the Scouting Method, which includes elements such as the Scout Law and Promise, learning by doing, the team system, a symbolic framework, nature, personal progression, adult support, and community involvement. As part of the Canadian Path program, Scouts can earn a "Religion in Life" emblem by completing a denomination-specific program. In 2009, a "Spirituality Award" was introduced for Scouts and Guides who do not belong to a specific religious denomination. In 2020, alternative promises were introduced for Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts, and higher levels, allowing individuals to pledge to their country or personal beliefs rather than a God or the King.

History

According to Scouts Canada, Scouting groups had been established as early as 1907 in Canada, and in 1908 Baden-Powell wrote Scouting for Boys.
In his 1981 book 75 Years of Scouting in Canada, Robert Milks, the late Scouts Canada archivist, indicated that the first Scout groups in Canada were founded in 1908. St. Catharines and Merrickville are mentioned as among the locations of the first troops. Boy Scouts and the Scout Movement had a presence in Canada before the formation of Scouts Canada or its parent organization, The Boy Scouts Association of the United Kingdom were formed.
The Boy Scouts Association was formed in the United Kingdom in 1910 and incorporated in 1912. Some sources suggest that its founder, Baden-Powell, wrote to Earl Grey, the Governor General of Canada in 1910, and asked him to organize Scouting in Canada; Grey lent his office to be known as the Chief Scout for Canada. A branch of The Boy Scouts Association was established in Canada under The Boy Scouts Association's Overseas Department. The Canadian General Council of The Boy Scouts Association was incorporated by an Act of the Canadian Parliament on 12 June 1914. The Canadian General Council continued to be represented internationally by The Boy Scouts Association of the United Kingdom until 30 October 1946, when the Canadian General Council became a direct member of the Boy Scout World Conference, now the World Organization of the Scout Movement. In 1961, the Canadian General Council of The Boy Scouts Association later changed its name to Boy Scouts of Canada by an amendment to its incorporating Act of Parliament. In 1976, the Scouts Canada logo was introduced and the organization, by its By-laws, adopted the name Scouts Canada. In 2007 by Bill S-1001, the organization's name was amended to Scouts Canada in the establishing legislation.
In July 1930 Ontario's Hospital for Sick Children organized the Robert Louis Stevenson Boy Scout Troop to hold field days and weekly scouts and girl guides programming for internees.
In 1972, Scouts Canada began accepting female participants as part of its Rover Section. This was expanded in the late 1970s to include the Venturer Section.
In 1983 Toronto-area Boy Scouts numbered nearly 17,000. By 2008 Toronto-area membership in the gender-neutral Scouts Canada had dropped to around 5,000.
In 1984 the Museum of Canadian Scouting, which was located in the national headquarters at 1345 Baseline Road in Ottawa, was going strong. As of 2025 it still was.
In 1990 Jim Blain, the Chief Executive of Scouts Canada, was awarded the 202nd Bronze Wolf, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting. He was also a recipient of the Silver World Award.
In 1991 Larry White was dismissed from leading Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children Boy Scout troop because he was homosexual. He appealed to the Ontario Human Rights Commission. In 1992, co-ed Scouting became an option for all program sections and in 1998 this became policy for all sections. The following year, the organization introduced its first gay Rover Crew for adults in Toronto, Ontario.
In 1999 the national headquarters of Scouts Canada threatened legal action to a traditionalist group that called itself the "Baden Powell Scouts Association of Canada" if the BPSAC failed to remove the "Baden Powell" from its name. The traditionalists were ordered by Industry Canada to remove the word "scout" from their name. National executive Andy McLaughlin was adamant that "As far as Scouts Canada is concerned, there's one scouting association in Canada, one in the world, every country has only one that's how Baden Powell set up scouting, he set up one organization per country. He felt anything else would dilute the program, cause confusion and hurt the programs for young people."
In 2001, members saw a significant reorganization country-wide. Regions and Districts were reorganized into Council and Areas. Many Districts employed their staff, had youth assistance funds, and separated Jamboree funds. All of this was under the control and supervision of a local Board of Directors. The members of the Board were past commissioners and community business leaders, most of whom had a Scouting background in their youth. The group handled staffing, helped identify future Trainers, Commissioners, and senior Service Scouters, supervised budgets for employees and camps, and raised funds from the Community. There were other Districts, mainly rural and those in isolated communities that were not what were called 'employing councils' and the change was made to attempt to change these differences. Likewise, at this time Provincial Councils such as the Provincial Council for Ontario were disbanded.
In March 2011, Scouts Canada introduced a significant redesign of the organization's uniform, moving to be made by Joe Fresh. The uniforms of the Beavers' changed only in color and fabric. The major changes in the uniform design are seen in the changes to the style of the button-up shirt and its color from khaki to grey, green, blue, or red, for Cubs, Scouts, Venturers, Rovers/Leaders respectively. As part of the re-design, the sash was eliminated as a uniform component, which resulted in smaller proficiency badges being made for Cub Scouts and Scouts to sew directly onto their uniforms. Fashion magazine Flare described the new uniforms as stylish and comfortable. The material for the red uniform shirt changed in mid-2016 because of performance issues.
From 2012 through 2017, Scouts Canada's National Youth Network launched an initiative to increase awareness of Scouting among members and the general public. The campaign was designed to encourage Canadians to do 'good turns' for each other. For several years, silicon bracelets were distributed across Canada with the message "Good Turn Week." In addition to the original initiative, a fund was established to sponsor selected community service projects.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ended its association with Scouts Canada at the end of 2019, leading to a membership decline of over 5%.
In 2021, Scouts Canada announced a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirement for all in-person meetings, effective 1 November. The vaccine requirement was removed by Scouts Canada effective September 1, 2022.

Organizational structure

Scouts Canada is governed by a Board of Governors. It is divided into twenty Councils, each administering a whole province or large part thereof. The national body and Councils are organized around a key three which include a Scouter, Youth, and Staff member. The national body consists of a National Commissioner appointed by the Voting Members, a National Youth Commissioner appointed by the Voting Members, and an Executive Commissioner appointed by the Board of Governors.
The Council Three consists of a Council Commissioner appointed by the National Commissioner, a Council Youth Commissioner appointed by the National Youth Commissioner, and a Council Relationship Manager appointed by the Executive Commissioner. Council Commissioners in consultation with their respective key three furthermore appoint their management teams to manage the interests of the council. All positions are advertised publicly and a selection committee interviews members based on skill set.
Scouts Canada is affiliated with Association des Scouts du Canada.
Under the World Organization of the Scout Movement's constitution, only one organization is recognized in each country. Canada is the only country in which this recognition is held jointly. Many other countries also have more than one Scouting organization and, of these, several have formed national federations which are the World Organization of the Scout Movement members. Scouts Canada and L'Association des Scouts du Canada send a joint delegation to meetings of the World Organization of the Scout Movement; this is coordinated through the Committee on Cooperation.
The Patron Scout of Canada is the current Governor General of Canada. From 1910 to 1946, the position of Chief Scout for Canada and, from 1946 to 2013, the position of Chief Scout of Canada were held by successive Governors General of Canada. On 19 April 2013, the Scouts Canada Board of Governors appointed Terry Grant as Chief Scout of Canada, and the honorary title held by the governor general was changed to Patron Scout.

Programs

Sections

The full-time sections of Scouts Canada are divided primarily by participant age. All sections utilize a redeveloped model called the Canadian Path. The new approach takes notes from traditional Scouting practices. It allows youth to develop along a common path from Beaver Scouts up to and including Rover Scouts.
  • Beaver Scouts is a Beavers section for children between ages 5 to 7. Activities include crafts, games, sports, music, hikes, and camping.
  • Cub Scouts is for children ages 8 to 10. Activities of the program include hiking, camping, and water activities such as canoeing and kayaking.
  • Scouts is for youth between 11 and 14 years old. Activities include outdoor activities, camping, hiking, and participation in youth forums.
  • Venturer Scouts is for teens between 15 and 17 years old. Its activities include hiking, camping, and more advanced training programs: white water kayaking / canoeing, mountaineering, week-long expeditions in National parks and international activities including service projects.
  • Rover Scouts is the eldest youth section in Scouting for teens and adults between 18 and 26 years old. Activities include "high adventure activities" ranging from multi-week expeditions with challenges of increasing difficulty, taking on leadership roles working with younger sections, and assisting with or running service projects at a local/national/international level.