Active Lives Canada

11/15/2025

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/active-lives-after-school-dufferin/

Active Lives Canada supports adult persons with developmental differences: Clinical Services • Day Program • Respite & Recreation Programs

11/06/2025

The last six years of our ten-year journey have been the most meaningful, challenging, and inspiring chapter yet. We navigated Covid by launching a Ministry-of-Health approved 1:1 Covid support program when our community needed it most. We opened a new campus in Shelburne, created a Respite Program, and kept a much-loved camp alive by bringing it into our family. We built a third campus and designed a tiered system to support individuals who often face the highest barriers. We partnered with service clubs, businesses, and agencies that believe in belonging. We rolled up our sleeves, volunteered, and stayed present in the heart of our towns — on buses, at events, and everywhere community thrives.

Active Lives Canada is more than a safe haven for adults with exceptionalities. We are builders of belonging. We are neighbours, helpers, and teammates in a community that grows stronger together. Here’s to ten years, to resilience, to purpose, and to every person who walks through our doors or cheers us on from afar.

11/05/2025

At Active Lives Canada, our Tier 3 adults with special needs are proving every day that learning independent living skills is not only possible, it is powerful. Through hands-on cooking lessons and theory-based learning with our instructor, Jen Stephens, participants plan ingredients, practise kitchen safety, prepare real meals, and enjoy the pride that comes from doing it themselves. This program builds confidence, communication, healthy habits, and skills that support greater independence in daily life. Like and share to celebrate their dedication and growth.

11/01/2025

Community grows where hearts come together. Yesterday, Shelburne Legion Branch 220 presented Active Lives Canada with a generous cheque to help expand our programs for adults with diverse abilities. Their support is more than funding. It is a powerful reminder that our participants are seen, valued, and embraced by their community. Acts of kindness like this strengthen families, build opportunities, and help create a future where every person is included and celebrated.

We are also grateful for meaningful conversations about volunteer opportunities within Shelburne Township, allowing our participants to build confidence, purpose, and pride as they give back and take part in community life. Thank you, Shelburne Legion Branch 220, for believing in our mission and walking beside us as we continue to grow. Together, we are building a caring community where everyone belongs. ❤️🇨🇦

10/01/2025

Mornings at Shelburne Campus are changing lives.

At the beginning of September, a new vision for mornings at Active Lives Canada’s Shelburne Campus came to life. Working alongside clinicians, our team designed a program that builds independence, communication, and confidence, thanks to the generous support of the Shelburne Rotary Club.

Each day now begins with participants logging into their own tablets and computers, building skills step by step. Typing programs are laying the foundation for journals that will one day hold their own stories. Interactive word searches are making recognition skills fun and engaging. Gab sessions give participants the chance to use augmentative communication to share feelings and connect with one another.

What started as an idea is now a living, growing part of each morning in Shelburne. It proves that with the right support, anything is possible. This program has only just begun, and the possibilities ahead are endless.

Special thanks to Emilia Newport, whose vision and collaboration with clinicians helped bring these ideas to life.

09/28/2025

A heartfelt thank you to Meridian Credit Union and FM101 Orangeville for your support in helping us host our Barbeque Fundraiser.

We were so thrilled to see the community show up in full force and rally behind Active Lives Canada. Your enthusiasm, donations, and presence made the day truly special.

Because of you, we’re one step closer to creating more opportunities for people with intellectual and physical disabilities throughout Dufferin County. Together we can do great things.

Thank you for believing in us and being part of this journey.

09/14/2025

At Active Lives Canada, we believe every adult & child deserves the opportunity to belong, connect, and grow. Our Day Program, Respite Program, and Zachary’s Camp are built on the values of inclusion, independence, and community. Families trust us because we do not just offer activities, we provide experiences that build friendships, confidence, and lasting skills. Whether it is the comfort of a safe respite stay, the excitement of an outdoor camp adventure, or the everyday joy of learning and social engagement in our day program, we create spaces where every participant is valued and celebrated for who they are.

We are not about segregation, we believe that everyone deserves to be part of the journey, no matter their abilities. If a program includes travel, then the van is accessible. If the program is about going places, then the destinations are chosen so everyone can enjoy them together. We do not hand-pick who we want, we welcome and prepare to embrace everybody. Families who visit us see that our commitment is more than words, it is a culture of acceptance, belonging, and community. Visit us today at www.activelivescanada.ca or connect with us at e.newport@activelivescanada.ca to learn more and see why Active Lives Canada is the place where every adult truly belongs.

Active Lives Canada

09/04/2025

What if communication actually mattered?
What if we could change behaviours simply by teaching words like “I’m hungry” or “Can I have an apple?”
What would happen if we buckled down and focused on building these skills — every single day?

Stay tuned… because we’re about to show you.

www.activelivescanada.ca

09/01/2025

A New Year, A New Look: Shelburne Campus is Ready to Shine!

It’s a brand-new year at our day program, and the team at our Shelburne Campus has been hard at work all summer getting ready to welcome our participants back in style!

This September and October, we’re rolling out a whole new experience. From our brand-new scheduling platform to a reimagined morning gab session routine, everything has been thoughtfully designed to inspire, include, and engage.

But that’s just the beginning.

We’re proud to introduce:
• Touchscreen computers and tablets to support our expanding communication needs

• Augmentative technology tools that will empower each participant’s unique voice

• A sleek new layout with modern desks and furniture that invites creativity

• Beautiful new pianos to enhance our music and leisure programming

• Video games and gaming consoles ready to challenge, motivate, and connect

• And… a few secret surprises you’ll have to see to believe!

None of this would be possible without Emilia, our incredible coordinator, who has made sure everything is in place, from the air purifiers running smoothly in every room to the equipment tested, charged, and ready to use. She has poured care into every corner of the campus to ensure it’s safe, functional, and inspiring for everyone who walks through the door.

Shelburne is quickly becoming a hub of innovation, fun, and possibility. We can’t wait to watch our augmentative communication program take flight using all the amazing tech tools and playful learning equipment now at our fingertips.

Stay tuned — the best is yet to come.

E.newport@activelivescanada.ca
www.activelivescanada.ca

08/27/2025

Yesterday, Zachary’s Camp and the Active Lives Canada Day Program participants came together for our fourth annual car wash, turning an ordinary day into something extraordinary. With FreshCo generously providing their parking lot, we showed the community that with the right tools, anyone can accomplish great things. The event highlighted the heart of Active Lives Canada by bringing people of all abilities together to share in laughter, teamwork, and a true sense of belonging.

Behind the success of the day was the vision of our coordinator, Emilia Newport. She designed six dynamic stations that kept everyone engaged and involved, from pre-wash and soap to rinse, dry, window and tire cleaning, and a relaxing chill zone at the Respite House backyard. A big thank you also goes to Antje for transporting all the participants and campuses safely on her big yellow school bus, which made it possible for everyone to be part of the fun. The result was a celebration of inclusion, joy, and possibility. Events like this remind families, community partners, and supporters that Active Lives Canada is more than a program. It is a place where individuals thrive, connections grow, and everyone has a role to play.

08/23/2025

“Because Your Loved One Deserves More Than Just Care”

Every parent dreams of a place where their adult child with special needs is safe, understood, and truly valued. At Active Lives Canada, our Tier One Campus was created for adults who use wheelchairs, need toileting support, suctioning, close supervision, or hands-on help.

Here, care means dignity. It means laughter, friendship, and being part of a community that sees the person first. Families can breathe easier knowing their loved one is embraced with patience, respect, and love.

Contact us today and discover a community where your loved one belongs.

www.activelivescanada.ca

08/20/2025

At Active Lives Canada, we know that it truly takes a village to run a not-for-profit. From our board members who guide our mission to our executive director who steers our vision, every role is vital in shaping the work we do. Each person brings their own dedication, skills, and heart to the table, and together they form the foundation of the programs and supports that change lives every single day. We are a Safehaven for adults and children with special needs, whether it is through our respite house, our day programs, or the joy and connection of our camp.

Our supervisor, Blair Robinson, plays a key role in supporting staff and families across both respite and day programs. Our coordinator, Emilia Newport, is the driving force behind our schedules and the creation of meaningful, tailored programming that makes every participant feel valued. Emilia has a gift for building programs that bring out the best in each individual, and her leadership ensures our services remain strong and adaptable. Our co-respite coordinators work tirelessly to make sure our respite house and program are running smoothly every single day. On the front lines, our staff members are the true heart and soul of our organization, keeping our programming strong and responsive. And each summer, our camp director, our very own Superwoman Antje, keeps Zachary’s Camp alive with energy, creativity, and joy. It takes every one of these people, working together as a village, to make Active Lives Canada what it is, a place of care, growth, and community.