Poor air quality leads to camp cancellations, sends kids indoors with parents pivoting

The sounds of kids dribbling basketballs or splish-splashing in pools mostly fell silent across the Greater Toronto Area on Thursday as concerns about poor air quality led to summer camps cancellations, and many families heeded warnings to stay indoors. 

The City of Toronto said all outdoor swimming and wading pools would remain closed for a second day, while city daycare and CampTO programs would continue with indoor activities only. .

But camps that don’t have an indoor option cancelled activities, including Camp Robin Hood in Markham, Ont., which has shelters for inclement weather, but no way to protect participants from poor air quality.

Howie Grossinger, Camp Robin Hood’s co-owner and director, says he monitored the situation on Wednesday but decided to close Thursday and informed participants through early morning emails, texts and social media posts. 

The parents have been understanding, he adds. 

“Keeping their kids’ health as our No. 1 priority,” says Grossinger, whose campers’ ages range from four to 15 years old. 

Smoke from wildfires in northern Ontario led to Environment Canada air quality warnings across the province, with the Air Quality Health Index reaching the highest level of 10-plus in many areas, meaning very high risk. 

Wildfire smoke raises the levels of pollution known as PM2.5, fine particulate matter that can travel deep into lungs and pose a risk to human health.

“I’ve been worried about the impact to their health and also to their anxiety about seeing smoke and trying to explain to kids what’s going on in a challenging situation,” says Rachel Shiffman, whose five-year-old son attends Camp Robin Hood.

“Luckily, I live in a community where we have neighbours that support each other. So another mom and I sort of decided to split the day. She took my son for the morning so I could get as much work done as possible. I took the afternoon shift.”

Toronto mom Kathryn Checkley says this week’s heat wave and wildfires have kept her two-year-old and five-year kids inside for days, leaving them with enough energy to “kick down a wall.”

Checkley pulled her son and his friend out of their daycare Thursday and spent $60 so that they could tire themselves out at a play place. She pointed out many families might not have that option, or that kind of disposable income.

Bob Hayes, director of Toronto Summer Swim Camp, which is held at an east end city pool and therefore closed on Wednesday and Thursday, says he’ll wait for communication to see if he’ll be back to business on Friday. 

“There’s no sense in putting everybody in harm’s way. And I think the city doctor, I think they suggested and asked for everybody to stay in. So we shouldn’t go against that. And until they open the pools I guess we’ll stay closed,” says Hayes. 

Both Toronto Swim Camp and Camp Robin Hood says they would still pay their staff and offer parents options for makeup days or refunds. 

“We are sensitive to the fact that things are expensive,” says Grossinger. “And we’re going to ride the wave of supporting our families in every which way by doing this.”

Amanda Kirsh, whose eight-year-old daughter’s camp was cancelled in Toronto, says she was lucky that her husband was at home and could take care of her. 

“Frustration is childcare. That’s how it always goes,” Kirsh says knowingly. 

“At a moment’s notice, ‘Your kid has a fever, come and get them, from camp. Your kid is unwell, come on, pick them up.’ It sucks when it happens, but you have to be able to pivot.” 

-With files from Elissa Mendes

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2026.