Canada’s National Private Campground Owners’ Association is seeing exponential growth and great support from its members, as it enters its eighth year. With a strong focus on significant advocacy work with the Canadian Federal Government, we are also developing and deploying efficient and logistical membership benefits and working alongside incredible industry partners to offer campgrounds and camping consumers several great tools to enhance their camping and RVing experiences.
In 2013, the Canadian Recreation Vehicle Association (CRVA) and the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association of Canada (RVDA of Canada) saw a significant need in the campground market to both assist campgrounds with benefits and resources, but also an opportunity to provide an avenue to foster collaboration across the industry as a whole.
At the time, the increased manufacture and retail number of RVs in Canada were beginning to be impacted by a struggling, under-supported and arguably disjointed private campground segment. With the fiscal, administerial and experiential support of the CRVA and RVDA of Canada, CCRVC was born.
The Canadian Camping and RV Council (CCRVC) represents the interests of private campground owners across Canada for the betterment and support of the camping and RV Industry. The association serves as the national advocacy voice of campgrounds and assists in Provincial advocacy efforts through its partnerships with the Provincial associations across the country as well. With over 2,400 private campgrounds coast to coast, the association also offers significant networking opportunities where campground owners are able to share ideas and contribute to one another’s success.
CCRVC’s Board of Directors consists of campground owners from each Province, representatives from CRVA and the RVDA of Canada and attended by Go RVing Canada, giving the association a unique perspective and insight into the industry. This wholistic representation of camping and RVing in Canada facilitates a strong and mutually beneficial relationship. It also provides members of all of the contributing associations access to unified marketing and advertising efforts and ensures that the reliance each section of the industry has on the other remains a priority as impactful industry decisions are made.
One of the primary features of membership is access to information. CCRVC communicates regularly with members to ensure that relevant information is shared in a timely fashion. This was paramount in 2020 when significant and sweeping regulatory changes were put in place during the pandemic response. Variations to rules, legislation, and operating compliance in each Province, and often in each municipality, were so broad and nuanced that CCRVC’s staff was pushed into overdrive to stay on top of these communications in the Spring, Summer, and Fall months.
Throughout 2020, CCRVC facilitated live round-table discussions and webinars via video calls where campground owners could gather and discuss next steps, conduct planning and strategize for getting through this unprecedented time. Continually adding to the member benefits arsenal, resources specific to pandemic response were deployed to members ranging from cleanliness protocol requirements, employee standards, tips for accessing government emergency support programs, template forms, template documents and more.
CCRVC is staffed by a team of individuals with a broad set of experience in the industry:
Shane Devenish – Executive Director
After several years in the financing sector, Shane has delivered great benefit to CCRVC through his extensive association management knowledge, advocacy experience, and a 30-year deep understanding of the RV and camping industry as a whole.
Shannon O’Callaghan – Membership & Benefits
Working closely with RVDA members across Canada in the past, Shannon’s knowledge of the industry and its nuances, as well as association administration has been invaluable to CCRVC.
Cara Braeutigam – Membership & Benefits
Twelve years of campground ownership provides Cara with a unique and in-depth perspective of CCRVC’s membership base, and a great network of fellow campground owners to collaborate with for ideas and feedback.
Plans for 2021 are well underway, and CCRVC has some big, exciting projects coming up (sign up for our newsletter if you want those announcements emailed to you!). The positive environment for our industry as a whole is a valuable and rare scenario for most businesses post-pandemic. RV parks and campgrounds are uniquely positioned for success in 2021 and CCRVC intends to provide support to members wherever possible, as always.
Enhanced member benefits, industry support and collaborative relationships remain our focus as we look forward to a new year full of unpredictable, yet exciting industry outcomes.
To join the association or request more information, please email: cara@campincanada.ca
To learn more, you can also head to www.ccrvc.ca.
