Developing tomorrow's leaders through life-changing adventures in God's creation since 1946.
Camp Mini-Yo-We is a Christian summer camp and year-round retreat centre committed to developing tomorrow's leaders. Our combination of our innovative programs, premium facilities and experienced staff have been shaping next generation leaders for nearly 80 years.
Our Beliefs
We are a Christian camp committed to introducing young people to the message of Jesus Christ found in the Bible. We do this through Bible studies, music, skits, and evening devotions. Our staff are committed to leading a Christian lifestyle both in and out of the cabin. We teach from the Bible who Jesus is, what he did, and how each individual can have a relationship with Him. We see our role as primarily instructional, letting children make their own faith decisions along the way. Campers come from a variety of faith backgrounds and we want everyone to feel welcome!
To learn more, view our Statement of Shared Beliefs.
Our Logo
The original logo for Camp Mini-Yo-We existed as it does today but with a teepee in the centre instead of a canoe. Throughout 2023 and 2024 the Mini-Yo-We community embarked on the Listening Circles process to discuss our name and logo. This was a time of introspection rooted in our desire to ensure our branding reflects the respect, understanding and values our community holds dear. Throughout this period we held five in-person listening circles, opened a forum for written feedback and had numerous conversations around these topics as a leadership team and board. The committee overseeing this process ultimately presented a report to the board who accepted the two recommendations to keep the name Mini-Yo-We and replace the image of the teepee.
Since November 2024 we have been using a new logo featuring a canoe in place of the teepee. Canoeing has been central to the camper experience from the beginning and is a Core 10 activity that every child continues to experience to this day. You will see the old logo phased out over the coming years as we replace signage, clothing and other branded items throughout our ministry.
Our Name
Established in 1946, the original name of the camp was The Fountain of Living Waters. In keeping with the original vision of introducing young people to Jesus, the founders based the name on the Bible verse John 4:14 in which Jesus refers to himself as a “spring of water welling up to eternal life”.
The name however did not resonate with the youth of that time and one of the founders’ sons, Faulkner Stewart, began searching for an alternative. Keeping the essence of the original name in mind and following the practice of using Indigenous words in that time period, the camp adopted a new name, Camp Mini-Yo-We in 1947. The word “Mini-Yo-We” is an anglicized version, closely related to a Lakota/Dakota word mniyówe.
Our Property
We acknowledge that Mini-Yo-We is situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinabek. The treaty signed for this particular parcel of land is referred to as the Williams Treaty of 1923. We celebrate the enduring presence of Indigenous Peoples on the land and are thankful how God has used it to introduce young people to Jesus.
Our History
Camp Mini-Yo-We began in 1946 because a collection of Sunday school teachers and superintendents from various Brethren churches in Toronto wanted a place for children to escape from the city, experience nature, and learn about Jesus. The first summer camp was held in 1946 using rented facilities from Fair Havens Bible Conference in Beaverton, Ontario. In 1947 the organization was incorporated and the Mary Lake property was purchased and began to be used.
Since then the ministry has blossomed into a non-denomination organization with a mission to develop tomorrow's leaders through life-changing adventures in God's creation. You can learn more about the history of Camp Mini-Yo-We by reading through The Source of Mini-Yo-We.