COVID-19 Information
Proof of vaccination is required at indoor town facilities. The province has released a plan to safely reopen Ontario and manage COVID-19 for the long-term. Please continue to follow all current public health measures.
Affordable Access and Subsidy Programs
The Town of Oakville and partner organizations support participation in physical activity and play at low or no cost in a number of ways.
What is affordable access?
All residents should have access to programs and services offered by the Recreation and Culture department regardless of age, ability or financial need. The Town of Oakville provides residents with free and low-fee programs and services, as well as financial assistance options.
Click on the tabs that follow for more information.
Fee subsidies through Halton Region
Families receiving Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disabilty Support (ODSP) are automatically eligible for this funding.
Families with one (1) child who earn less than $35,000, and families with two (2) or more children who earn less than $45,000, may also be eligible providing they are in active receipt of Child Care Fee Subsidy from Halton Region.
For more information, visit the Halton Region website, call 905-825-6000 or 311.
Canadian Tire Jumpstart
Jumpstart's core purpose is to enrich the lives of kids (ages 4 to 18) in need through sports and physical activity. They assist with the costs associated with registration, equipment, and/or transportation.
Families living below Revenue Canada's Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO) are eligible for Jumpstart funding.
NEW! In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jumpstart has expanded their eligibility requirements to include families who receive the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).
For more information, please visit the Jumpstart website.
The Oakville Children's Basketball League: Skills program
The Town of Oakville is among 500 sport and recreation organizations across Canada to receive a grant through this round of Jumpstart’s Sport Relief Fund.
Thanks to their generosity, we are able to provide this free opportunity to engage in physical activity for ages 10-14 with our OCBL: Skills program, which is currently full.
Games will be played every Saturday from August 14 to October 9, except for September 4, at Oakville Trafalgar Community Centre.
To ensure this program adheres to all current health and safety guidelines, we are facilitating this program as an instructional program rather than in a league format.
Also note that program dates are subject to change depending on Provincial and Public Health guidelines.
Physical distancing rules still apply when engaged in team sports so any activities at this time must be non-contact. This also means no intra-squad competitions or games where defence or activity would likely result in physical contact between players.
For more information please email the town’s Community Development Specialists at affordableaccess@oakville.ca
Recreation Connection
Under the Town of Oakville's Recreation Connection program, financial assistance is available based on total net income of all family members and the number of people in your household.
Once your application is approved, you will receive an account and registration information letter. Each eligible family member on your application will receive a credit of $300 which is valid for one year. You may apply for and receive the credit once per year.
Applications for Recreation Connection are ongoing throughout the year. The first day of each customer's 12-month enrolment period will be the date their credit is added to their account.
Open the tabs that follow or the 2021 Affordable Access Guide (pdf) for more information.
To qualify for the Recreation Connection program, the applicant must:
- Be a resident of Oakville*
- Have a total net individual or combined family income** below LICO (Low Income Cut-Offs);
- Provide recent official documentation that shows total family net income using one or more of the following original statements/documents:
- Notice of Assessment form (T451) – required for all family members over 18 years of age without dependents
- Canada Child Tax Benefit Notice – required when the application includes dependents under 18 years of age
- Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax Credit Notice
- Ontario Child Care Supplement for Working Families Notice
- Ontario Works (OW) Statement of Assistance
- Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Statement of Assistance
- Community Organization Referral (from approved partners)
*Refugees are eligible to apply for Recreation Connection within the first year of receiving the following documents and income verification is not required:
- Confirmation of Permanent Residency (received at airport for each individual), OR if available, the Government of Canada Permanent Resident Card; OR
- Refugee Protection Claimant Document; AND
- Proof of residency in Oakville (recent utility bill, lease agreement, driver’s license, etc.).
Provided eligibility requirements are met, dependents over the age of 18 and living at home must apply separately as an individual.
**Maximum qualifying income
Family size — current dollars:
- 1 person — $22,759
- 2 people — $28,332
- 3 people — $34,831
- 4 people — $42,290
- 5 people — $47,963
- 6 people — $54,096
- 7 people or more — $60,227
Subsidy available is $300 per person.
Residents can request a virtual review meeting by emailing affordableaccess@oakville.ca. Staff will respond within two (2) business days. Accommodations for in-person meetings may be considered, as required.
Virtual review meetings take approximately 15 minutes. Applicants must have copies of their eligibility documentation at the meeting. Do NOT email confidential information to staff.
Applicants are required to provide the documentation outlined under How do I qualify?
Town of Oakville Recreation and Culture staff will forward all eligible applications to Town Hall for processing. This will take approximately seven (7) business days. A welcome letter will be provided with registration information.
Once the credit has been applied to your account, you will be able to register in programs of your choice.
Programs and services NOT eligible for fee assistance include:
- Library programs
- Facility rentals
- Community Connection programs
- Single admission (pay-as-you-go) passes
- Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts show tickets
- Material fees and concession items
Can I use my credit towards my child’s activities?
Your individual credit cannot be transferred to other family members or individuals.
Can I use some of my own funds along with my credit to pay for a program?
You have the option to either use the credit to cover the full program or membership cost or to pay a portion yourself using an accepted payment method. This can only be done when registering in person.
Can I carry over my credit to the next year?
The credit has no real cash value. Any refunds from cancelled or withdrawn programs will be returned to your account as a credit. Any unused credits remaining at the end of your enrolment period cannot be carried over or transferred to another individual or family member or redeemed for cash.
Once my credit is used up can I receive more?
You are eligible to reapply for the program once per year if you continue to meet all of the eligibility criteria. Applications can be made 30 days prior to the end of your current enrolment period.
Review the options available under the What is Affordable Access? heading that follows and apply for the subsidy that best suits your situation. If your application is successful, a credit will be placed on your Recreation and Culture account.
Subsidy clients should complete the new online form to use a Recreation Connection, Halton Region Recreation Referral or Halton Region Child Care subsidy. Because our facilities are currently closed under provincial order, in-person registrations are not permitted at this time.
Please note: We are currently processing all payments and registrations online. If you don't have access to a credit card and need to place credit on your Recreation and Culture account, or have questions, please email recreation@oakville.ca.
Payments and receipts
Full payment (including any outstanding balance on account) is required to complete your registration.
Duplicate receipts will only be issued upon request and are subject to a $10 administration fee plus applicable taxes.
An administration charge of $40 plus tax will be levied for all NSF cheques and returned payments.
A non-resident fee of $10 plus tax will be added per person, per course.
We offer a pre-authorized payment option for our camp programs!
Check the schedule payment box when you register online to pay 50% up front for summer programs and confirm your pre-authorized payments for the balance. The rest will be automatically deducted from your credit card on June 1 for July camps and July 1 for August camps.
Questions? Contact registration staff at 905-815-2000.
Courtesy reminders
The Recreation and Culture department is pleased to provide an email reminder for registrants approximately one week prior to the start of their program.
These reminders will be sent to customers with email addresses on their recreation account. To benefit from this service, please ensure we have your current email address on file. You can set up and check your account online at any time.
Missed classes
Participants are to attend all classes as scheduled for the program in which they are registered. Make-up classes or credits/refunds for missed classes are not available.
If you have registered for a class and can no longer attend, we ask that you withdraw from your session as soon as possible. This allows us to accommodate anyone on the waitlist.
Cancellations
The town reserves the right to cancel or alter any classes, times, costs or locations without notice as required due to low enrolment, change of policy, or availability of facilities or instructors.
In the event that a program or service is cancelled by the town, every effort will be made to accommodate the participant in another program or through another service. If there is no other program or service which is satisfactory to the participant, a refund may be provided and no administration fee will be charged. Every effort will be made to reschedule single date cancellations. If the participant is unable to attend the rescheduled date, the single date fee will appear as an account credit for future use.
Recreation and Culture programs, memberships and rental permits cancelled due to COVID-19 health and safety restrictions will be automatically refunded to impacted customers. You do not have to do anything for this to take place.
Customers are asked to please be patient as refunds may take up to two weeks to display on your credit card statement, depending on your financial institution or credit card provider. Cheques may be issued for some refunds pending original payment type.
Withdrawals
Occasionally, clients encounter unexpected scheduling changes or medical concerns that require them to withdraw from their program.
Spaces in our programs are very limited. If you have registered for a class and can no longer attend, we ask that you withdraw from your session as soon as possible. This allows us to accommodate anyone on the waitlist.
If you are withdrawing from a pre-booked drop-in more than 24 hours in advance, you can withdraw through your online account. If it’s within 24 hours of your program, please call the facility you chose to attend directly to withdraw.
The easiest way to withdraw from a program is through your online registration account. Some programs are not eligible for refunds or withdrawals. Please go to Exceptions for details.
Refunds
Refunds are returned to the method of payment used in the original transaction. Requests under $20 where the original method of payment was cash, cheque or debit will remain on account for future use. Requests made to the program instructor, emailed or left on voicemail will not be considered sufficient notice.
Material fees are non-refundable unless withdrawal is completed more than four days in advance of the workshop or program start date.
Online, up to four days in advance of the course start date
You can request a refund or withdraw via your online account without penalty.
Three days prior to the course start date, up to the start time of the course
This request a refund or withdrawal option is subject to an administrative fee of $10 plus HST.
In person/over the phone, up to four days, in advance of the course start date
This request a refund or withdrawal option is subject to an administrative fee of $10 plus HST.
Prior to the start time of the third date of the course
The amount refunded will be the full cost of the program, less any applicable administrative fees, and less the cost of any classes already held. Material fees are non-refundable.
Requests will be processed and prorated as of the date and time that official notification is received by the Recreation and Culture department and cannot be backdated.
After the third class of the program
Withdrawal/refund requests received after the start time of the third class of the program will only be processed for medical reasons for the remaining classes of the program and must be accompanied by a doctor’s note. Material fees are non-refundable.
These requests will be processed and prorated as of the date and time that official notification is received by the Recreation and Culture department and cannot be backdated.
Exceptions
Workshops, P.A. Days, Summer Camps, March Break and Holiday Camps are not eligible for withdrawals or transfers later than four days prior to the start date of the program. Material fees are non-refundable unless withdrawal is completed more than four days in advance of the workshop or program start date.
Can I withdraw from a recreation and culture program without penalty if I am not fully vaccinated?
If you have registered in a program but are unable to participate due to the vaccination requirements, you can withdraw from your program through your online account without penalty. Alternatively, you can contact Support Services.
Will I get a refund if I withdraw from a recreation and culture program due to the vaccination requirements?
If you have registered in a program but are unable to participate due to the vaccination requirements, you can withdraw through your online account for a full refund without penalty. Alternatively, you can contact Support Services.
How to contact Support Services
If you have questions about cancelling a booking, requesting a membership refund, or about our available programs and services, please contact a member of our Support Services team at 905-815-2000 or email recreation@oakville.ca Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
School/Group Program Bookings
Transfers and withdrawals can be made up to 14 days prior to the start date of the program. A full credit will be applied to your online registration account. Refund requests are subject to an administration fee of $10 plus HST.
Give the gift of healthy living!
Not sure what to get for that hard-to-buy-for person?
Do you have someone on your list who wants to try an art class? Dreams of having a personal trainer? Always wished they had learned how to swim?
Want to give a gift that offers them a choice?
Town of Oakville gift certificates make the perfect healthy holiday gift for kids, friends, family or even you!
Gift certificates are available for purchase in any denomination at our community centres for use toward any Town of Oakville recreation or culture program or membership.
No expiry.