FAQ

SCAMPER, JUNIOR, SENIOR KIDS CAMP & TEEN CAMP

You may choose to drop-off and pick-up your child or teen in person or have your child or teen ride the charter bus out to Horseshoe Bay. Drop-off and pick-up location is in Horseshoe Bay at the west end of the waterfront park. During your registration (or afterwards), you may choose to sign up your child or teen for the bus service. Fircom bus pick-up and drop-off takes place in two locations – East Vancouver and West Vancouver. You can email the office to add your child to the charter bus: info@fircom.ca

POLARIS & C.I.T. PROGRAMS, & FAMILY PROGRAMS

Horseshoe Bay check-in happens at the end of the public dock, at the west end of the bay. You won't miss the red roofed building at the end of the dock. Please view your program-specific page for detailed boat departure times.

The counsellors at camp have a variety of qualifications. Some are wilderness first aid attendants, some are lifeguards, and some have backgrounds in activities like dance, theatre, sports or crafts. All staff go through industry mandated training as outlined by the BC Camping Association and the United Church of Canada Camp Standards Manual. All staff and volunteers have up- to-date criminal record checks and standard first aid. Over 80% of the camp staff return each year.

All of the Fircom staff are trained to manage homesickness. If kids are homesick at camp, typically it happens on the first night. We remedy this by running high energy program on the first day to tire everyone out so they don’t stay awake feeling homesick that first night. We also find that if kids talk with their parents while at camp, they are immediately comforted, however in the long run it just makes them more homesick. For this reason we rarely have campers call home. If it seems like the only option, our Summer Camp Director will call you first and brief you on the situation beforehand.

During camp, campers have no access to the phone or internet. They will not be available to take phone calls on the island because they will be having too much fun!

If there is an emergency, contact us directly via email or call our camp office during regular business hours. They will be able to put you in contact with the Summer Camp Director and thereby your child. 

All medical/behavioural information is kept confidential. It will be shared with the Office Administrator who processes the registration, the Summer Camp Director, the Wellness Coordinator, and your child’s Camp Counsellors. This information will not be available to other campers or to counsellors who are not working directly with your child.

Our Camp Counsellors are trained on how to discreetly, and without much fuss, get kids' sleeping bags and pajamas washed when needed. It happens every year and for us it's no big deal. Our goal is to ensure that everyone has a great time, no matter what.

The food at camp is delicious. Check out the Food at Camp section of our Welcome Package for a sample of the meals that will be served at camp.

In addition to three meals a day, dessert is served in the early evening during all of our camp sessions. A fruit bowl is out during the day. We usually have our hot chocolate two mornings during the week as part of our Rad Risers routine. Treats (all camp sessions) and refreshing drinks (Family Camps) are available for purchase in the Tuck Shop during the afternoon.

SAMPLE MENU >

We can accommodate almost all allergy and dietary restrictions including gluten and dairy-free. Camp Fircom's kitchen is nut-aware and is dedicated to upholding practices that prevent cross contamination of allergens. However, due to the large number of guests we have passing through camp each year, and depending on severity of the allergies we are not able to absolutely guarantee an allergy free environment, and therefore we consider ourselves a NUT and ALLERGY-AWARE site as opposed to a nut-free site. *Note: We are not a wheat-free kitchen!

All communicated allergies will be reviewed by our Head Chef and if needed, one-on-one conversations may occur to facilitate the food experience of your child.

Single allergies (just one of gluten / dairy / eggs ) is accommodated easily; however, when multiple allergies occur (ex. Gluten-Free AND Vegan), we may be in contact with you about supplementing some supplies/options that match with your or your child's needs.

Please ensure that you list all of your child's allergies on their registration form. 

This is a tough question. Kids can start coming to overnight camp as early as 6 years old. It really depends on how comfortable your child is being away from home. Have they gone on sleepovers in the past? Have they come to camp with you for Family Camp, Mom & Kids Camp, or Dad & Kids Camp? Are they excited about the prospect of coming to camp? There are lots of things you can do to help prepare them for camp. Read through the registration package with them, have them help pack their bags, try having a day without screens to help ease them into not having technology.

Fircom is accredited by the BC Camping Association and The United Church of Canada. All program areas are up to industry standard safety regulations and every week there are first-aid trained staff on site. All Camp Counsellors and the vast majority of other camp staff have at minimum, Standard First Aid.

Probably! Just make sure you list the name of the person you want to stay with on your registration form. If your friend is several years older or younger than you, we may not be able to accommodate this. Please give us a call to talk to us before registering.

If your child is coming to Scamper Camp, they will be in Craigcroft. Craigcroft has rooms that hold three kids each. Your child’s Camp Counsellors will be in one of the rooms on the same floor and there is a bathroom easily accessible down the hall.

If your child is coming to the Kids Camp Junior program, they will be in a cabin with around 11 other kids of a similar age. Each cabin has bunk beds so campers will get to choose a top or bottom bunk. There will be two Camp Counsellors in each cabin. If your child is coming to the Kids Camp Senior program, they will be in a cabin as described above, or in a Sibley Tent with 5 other kids and a Camp Counsellor. Teen campers will also stay in Sibley Tents.

Family Camp, Mom, Kids & Teens Camp and Dad, Kids & Teens Camp will use all of the accommodations: Cottage, Craigcroft, Cabins and Sibley Tents.

Accommodation details can also be found on the program-specific webpages.

You can read more about our accommodations on the Accommodations page.