How it works

You could be on a team composed of four rangers and an experienced team lead. For eight weeks you work in and around your own community on natural resource management projects. There are teams located in communities across the province.

As a ranger you:

  • get hands-on work experience, education and training
  • develop personal and professional skills
  • develop career and community networks
  • receive minimum wage
  • earn two high school co-op credits (not available at all locations)
  • will work outdoors the majority of the summer performing physical tasks in various terrain and in a variety of weather conditions

Who is eligible to be a ranger

You could be eligible if you are:

  • born in 2006
  • attending school
  • a resident of Ontario
  • eligible to work in Canada

Types of projects

Stewardship Youth Rangers take part in a wide range of projects that could include:

  • creating habitat for species at risk
  • monitoring the health of forests
  • maintaining provincial parks (campsites, trails, beaches)
  • rehabilitating wetlands
  • helping with environmental and cultural community events

You might even have an opportunity to work in backcountry wilderness, which may involve overnight canoe trips to clear portages and maintain campsites.

When to apply to be a ranger

The posting period for Stewardship Youth Ranger positions is in March.

Positions are posted all at once.

How to apply to be a ranger

  1. During the posting period, go to Ontario.ca/careers.
    • To begin looking for jobs, use the drop-down menu under “Select Career Level” and choose “Student”.
    • You may also narrow your search by using the “Select City” or “Select Region” drop-down menus to indicate your preferences.
  2. You may apply to more than one team location.
  3. You must apply separately to each location. Submit your cover letter and resume directly to each of your chosen team locations by email, using the contact information listed in each job posting.

Application deadline for rangers

Deadlines vary.

Team leads

As a team lead you:

  • provide group leadership, motivation and supervision to a team of Stewardship Youth Rangers on a variety of field projects
  • research and identify learning opportunities for the group
  • ensure the availability of required resources and equipment
  • ensure compliance with workplace safety regulations
  • work cooperatively with community partners to plan and implement stewardship projects
  • work on seasonally recurring contracts of up to 3 months

Who is eligible to be a team lead

You could be eligible if you:

  • hold a valid Ontario driver’s licence – class “G” or equivalent as recognized by the Province of Ontario
  • hold or have the ability to obtain a valid Standard First Aid Certificate
  • hold or have the ability to obtain a valid Pleasure Craft Operators Card
  • meet other specific criteria in the job ad

There is no age limit with team lead and assistant team lead roles.

When to apply to be a team lead

Positions are posted on Ontario.ca/careers from February to April, as they become available.

How to apply to be a team lead

  1. During the posting period, go to Ontario.ca/careers.
    • To begin looking for jobs, use the drop-down menu under “Select Job Category” and choose “Lands and Resources”.
    • You may also narrow your search by using the “Select City” or “Select Region” drop-down menus to indicate your preferences.
  2. You may apply to more than one team location.
  3. You must apply separately to each location. Submit your cover letter and resume directly to Ontario.ca/careers using the “Apply Online” function in the job ad.

Wage rates and application deadline for team leads

Wage range: $23.95 to $26.68 per hour.

Application deadlines vary. Check the date at the bottom of each job ad.

Kenora Ogimaa Binesiiyog Stewardship Youth Ranger Program

This program is only for residents of Kenora and surrounding areas.

We are accepting applications for:

  • 4 stewardship youth rangers
  • 1 team lead
  • 1 assistant team lead

The project descriptions, wage rates and additional eligibility criteria on this page also apply to this program.

Application periods

The Kenora Ogimaa Binesiiyog Stewardship Youth Ranger Program has different application deadline dates and a separate application process:

  • ranger postings open March 6, 2023 and close May 29, 2023
  • assistant team lead postings open March 6, 2023 and close April 21, 2023
  • team lead postings open March 6, 2023 and closes April 14, 2023

To apply, email your cover letter and resume to Kenora.MNRF@ontario.ca.