Careers at Ontario Parks

Park wardens play a vital role in protecting Ontario’s natural and cultural heritage. These officers are responsible for ensuring that our provincial parks are protected and peaceful places where visitors, both present and future, can come and enjoy the benefits of nature.

A park warden’s responsibilities are as diverse as the parks they work in. Some common responsibilities include:

• Protecting park resources and ensuring public safety
• Engaging with park visitors while providing professional customer service
• Supporting park operations in a variety of ways, including general maintenance and cleaning, visitor registration, or assisting with water system operations

Park warden positions are typically short-term contracts that are seasonal in nature, coinciding with the peak summer operating season. Longer contracts or full-time positions may become available with career advancement. Many park wardens work evening/night shifts and weekends throughout the summer. Park wardens patrol their parks in a variety of ways, depending on the location, including by foot, vehicle, ATV, boat, canoe, or aircraft.

Highlights of career opportunity: Gain valuable experience working outdoors in law enforcement and compliance. Build natural resource management, problem solving, leadership, and communication skills while applying policies and legislation. Create a foundation for a successful and rewarding career with Ontario Parks.

Conditions of Employment: Must be at least 19 years of age and have a valid class “G” Ontario driver’s licence or equivalent. Must be able to be designated as a park warden, which includes obtaining government security clearance and successfully completing a multi-week course consisting of academic and defensive tactics instruction and evaluation. Specific conditions may vary from position to position.

Park Interpreters play an important role in Ontario Parks, assisting visitors to understand, appreciate and gain a greater awareness of the park's natural and cultural heritage. Park Interpreters tell the stories of their parks through fun and creative means such as:

• Children's programs
• Conducted hikes
• Evening amphitheatre programs
• Campfire programs
• Historical re-enactments
• Special events

Highlights of career opportunity: Gain experience and knowledge in interpretive techniques, public speaking, customer service skills and natural/cultural resource management, increase your knowledge of Ontario's natural or cultural history, develop drama and musical skills.

Conditions of Employment: Varies from position to position. Appropriate certification, licences or specific qualifications may be required; good oral and written communication skills; ability to communicate to a variety of audiences in an interesting manner.

The types of seasonal leadership positions vary from each location throughout the province and each offer a variety of work duties and experiences. Some of these jobs include:

• Assistant Park Superintendent
• Operations Technician
• Group Leader

Highlights of career opportunity: Gain experience and knowledge in park policy and procedure, operations management, team leadership, work planning, scheduling, budgets, customer service, regulatory and educational enforcement, resource management and planning initiatives and health and safety.

Conditions of Employment: Varies from position to position. Appropriate certification, licences or specific qualifications may be required. Some positions may require that you be able to be designated as a Park Warden, which includes a criminal reference check, and meet the ministry certification criteria and standards in the Use of Force.

At Provincial Parks across Ontario, a variety of maintenance and trades people work to ensure all facilities are in working order. Job opportunities may be available for entry level general maintenance or more specialized maintenance positions. Some of these positions include:

• Maintenance Mechanics
• Water Treatment Plant Operators
• Equipment Operators
• Maintenance Leadership

Highlights of career opportunity: Gain experience with a variety of power tools and lawn care equipment, general carpentry, plumbing, electrical and mechanical skills, experience with boats, ATV's. Gain understanding of limited system water operator certificates and water treatment facilities. Work with protective equipment, blueprints and within budgets. Increase your interpersonal skills and knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Conditions of Employment: Varies from position to position. Appropriate certification, licences or specific qualifications may be required.

Ontario Parks offers a variety of seasonal positions in the area of clerical support from entry level to positions suited to persons with related experience. These positions may be at a provincial park, zone office or Ontario Parks main office. Some jobs may include:

• Front counter reception/information
• Reservation/Registration of park visitors
• Office assistants/filing clerks
• Administrative Supervisors
• Revenue reporting
• Financial support

Highlights of career opportunity: Enhanced customer service skills, introduction to government accounting practices, introduction and working knowledge of government policies and procedures and general administration experience can be obtained.

Conditions of Employment: Varies from position to position. Appropriate certification, licences or specific qualifications may be required.

The type of seasonal general labourer positions varies from each location throughout the province, providing a variety of manual labour. Job opportunities may be available for entry level and those with related or specialized experience. Some of these jobs include:

• Grounds keepers
• Building maintenance
• General labourers
• Janitorial support/Washroom cleaners
• Cooks/kitchen staff

Highlights of career opportunity: Gain experience and knowledge in general maintenance, working knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, customer service, introduction and working knowledge of government policies and procedures can be obtained.

Conditions of Employment: Varies from position to position. Appropriate certification, licences or specific qualifications may be required.