Frequently Asked Questions

Located at: 6535 Palmer Road, Palmer Rapids, Ontario K0J2E0

Office Hours: Daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

From Palmer Rapids: via Hwy 514: Left onto Hwy 515, drive through town of Palmer Rapids.

• Approx. 2 km past town, cross over Madawaska River
• Stay on this highway for another 1 km and as the highway bends to the left, slow down
• Our site is on the left-hand side of the road. Civic address is 6535. You will notice the large green and blue buildings as well as the Paddler Co-op Boathouse sign.

From Combermere: via Hwy 62: Right onto Hwy 515 towards Palmer Rapids.

• Just after Dam Road, you will reach our site on the Right, before you come to the river.
• If you cross the river, you have gone too far.
• What you see from Palmer Road (Hwy 515):

A large boathouse with a kayak on the roof, seriously, a kayak. We have a U shaped gravel Driveway and a “house” that is our office!

Lost?! Call the office @ 613-758-2772

Instructors are the backbone of our programs.

They have:

• Wilderness First Aid (min. 40 hours) and Whitewater Rescue Certification (30 hours)
• Extensive experience guiding overnight trips
• Strong facilitation skills for a variety of courses & disciplines
• Practical experience with whitewater river safety & rescue
• ORCKA and or Paddle Canada Instructor Certifications

But above all… are both passionate teachers & paddlers!

Our team works hard to provide high quality & safe instruction as well as an overall fun experience to our wonderful members (YOU!). Tips are greatly appreciated by our instructors for their hard work in the form of cash or e-transfer.

FUN! FUN! FUN! And learning!

We offer two day courses that will meet you at your current paddling experience and bring you to the next level. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never tried paddling before or you’re a seasoned veteran paddler, we have a course for you!

What does a typical course day look like?

Our courses typically start at the Paddler Co-op Boathouse where you will get geared up before heading out on the water. We are so lucky to be just a short paddle downstream from the rapids so after the courses start at 9:00, you will paddle up to the rapids and then return to the Paddler Co-op campground for a one hour lunch before heading out for the remainder of the afternoon from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

What happens if I sign up & pay for a group course but there are not the required 3 participants for the course to run?

We will call you 14 days prior to your booking start date to discuss options:

1. Alter your course for private or semi private (two participants) instruction.  This option includes additional fees for instruction.

OR

2.Rebook your course to join a group that already exists to secure the group pricing.

• We do our best to find folks to join group courses to insure that everyone is able to get the course, date and rate they want but it is not always possible.

I have my own gear, can I bring it instead of renting?

You can! Our instructors are required to inspect the gear and decide if it is safe and appropriate for whitewater. For example, the helmets that we use are specific for whitewater and offer protection that a bike helmet or climbing helmet does not.

There is the chance that once the instructor inspects your gear you may be required to rent an item for the duration of your course. Don’t fret, you can easily settle up with the Office at the end of your course day. Additional item rentals are $14/item/course.

Members make this organization possible… Thank you for your continued support!

Season Membership: $15

• Access to high quality, cost effective whitewater instructional programs
• Access to Community Night Paddle Sessions
• Access to rental equipment: Canoes, Kayaks, Solo Boats, Life Jackets, Paddles, Helmets, Skirts and Wetsuits
• Support insurance cost and maintenance of our equipment and facility
• Fund environmental initiatives, such as river maintenance and education

Paddler Co-op Organizational Membership for commercial operators: $150 (Annually)

• All access that members receive plus commercial use of the facility and river access
• Provides river access, parking access, liberty to instruct courses at our location
• Facilitate group instruction at Paddler Co-op
• Utilize Paddler Co-op indoor teaching classroom
• Support insurance cost and maintenance of our equipment and facility
• Fund environmental initiatives, such as river maintenance and education

We keep in touch with our members through our newsletter

Not receiving our member Newsletter? Sign up for it today!

Our annual memberships are non-refundable. 

What’s the deal with working or volunteering at Paddler Co-op?

At Paddler Co-op, we are focused on building a better paddling community for all, and we know that there’s one essential component to our community: good people! 

Working  and volunteering with Paddler Co-op provides an opportunity to make a profound difference in people’s lives that leads to healthier members, lifestyles and environments. For over twenty five years, we have been making a difference in people’s lives by providing the access, skills, training and equipment to our members so they can develop a love and appreciation for our waterways and natural spaces.

If you believe in fostering an environment of inclusivity, accessibility, sustainability, responsibility and integrity while providing high quality instruction, trips, training, recreation and river access, then consider joining our diverse team of instructors, staff and volunteers!

Interested in volunteering at Paddler Co-op? 

Whether it’s for community service hours in high school, or to connect with and give back to the paddling community in your seasoned years, we are always in need of and grateful for our volunteers to support our events, programs, community projects and outreach.

If you have time that you would like to dedicate towards helping The Co-op build a better paddling community for everyone, send us an email to [email protected] with the subject line “Volunteering with Paddler Co-op” and a description of your interests, skills and any details to direct the discussion appropriately. Additionally, please fill out our “Volunteer Intake Form” so we have an idea of your availability.

We appreciate your generosity and enthusiasm tremendously!

Where do I apply to work at Paddler Co-op?

 Answer: Right here!

Take a peek at our job offerings below and be sure to click on the link at the end of each summary for the full job description 

We are so thankful for the response to our job postings we have filled some of our positions but the following are still open:

1. Whitewater Canoe / Kayak Instructors

Do you have a passion for working with people in an outdoor setting, and showing them how to fall in love with the wonders of whitewater?

We are looking to add enthusiastic, inclusive and community oriented experienced whitewater canoe and kayak instructors to our team this season!

Read the full whitewater instructor job description here

Last updated March 26th, 2021

We appreciate you taking the time to review our job offerings and apply. Please note that we will only be contacting individuals who are best suited for the specified role and fulfill the needs of The Co-op best, as determined by Paddler Co-op management. Submitted resumes may be kept on file for future consideration. © Paddler Co-op 2021 

For courses if you cancel 14 days or more before course, receive a full refund; 7-14 days before course, 10% admin fee applies, the remainder is refunded; 7 days or less before course, 10% admin fee applies & remaining balance is a valid credit for the current and following season.

For camping, if you cancel 14 days prior to your reservation you receive a full refund. If you cancel 7-14 days before your reservation start date there will be a 10% admin fee and the remaining balance is valid as a credit for the current and following season. There is NO refund for cancellations within 7 days of your reservation.

Annual membership fees are non-refundable.

Special events hosted by Paddler Co-op may have cancellation policies specific to the event.

We use high-quality, leading designs of boats and gear to maximize the effectiveness of our courses and provide the best possible experience to our members. Here’s a list of all of our boats currently in the boathouse:

Click here to see our current boathouse equipment list