Camp Nominingue

Camp Nominingue is a traditional, English-language summer camp for boys aged seven to 16, located in Quebec's Laurentian Mountains. Founded in 1925 by F.M. Van Wagner, a physical education professor at McGill University, the camp was established with the vision of providing boys with a wilderness experience to foster responsibility, maturity, and leadership. The Van Wagner family operated the camp until 2015, when it was acquired by alumnus and former Expedia CEO, Erik Blachford, who attended as a camper and counsellor and whose family has a multi-generational history with the camp.

The camp is situated on approximately 400 acres of forest and fields with over two kilometers of shoreline on Petit lac Nominingue. Its business model is based on tuition fees for various session lengths, ranging from one to eight weeks, with options for early registration discounts. The camp serves a diverse clientele, with a majority of anglophone campers from Quebec and Ontario, and a significant number of francophone campers seeking an English immersion experience, as well as international attendees.

The core of the Nominingue experience is outdoor living and skill development. All campers live in prospector tents and are encouraged to participate in a wide array of activities, including archery, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, climbing, and woodworking. A defining feature is the wilderness canoe tripping program, with a history of over 4,500 safely completed trips since 1928. The camp even constructs its own canoes on-site, a tradition that highlights its commitment to craftsmanship. The program is designed to be an unplugged experience, with a strict no-electronics policy to encourage direct social connection and independence. In addition to the boys' camp, Nominingue also hosts a family camp at the end of August.

Keywords: boys summer camp, outdoor education, wilderness canoe tripping, leadership development, youth camp, Quebec summer camp, character building, English immersion camp, traditional camping, outdoor adventure, archery, sailing, woodworking, nature studies, team building, personal growth, digital detox, campcraft, Laurentian Mountains, youth leadership