park attendant

interpreter

crew leader

camp counselor

lead hand

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

A typical day at work included planting native tree, shrubs, and plants including cardinal flower, common witch hazel, and pagoda dogwood. I learned how to plant native species, what proper sunlight they needed, their soil conditions, and how and when to water them. The management consisted of myself as co-ordinator, a professor of environmental studies at York University, where the initiative was taking place, who was in charge of the garden, and one MES (Masters in Environmental Studies) student. The co-workers were various students and faculty who had little to know experience and it was up to us to teach them by telling them where to plant, when to water, and so on. This was the hardest part of the job but worthwhile becasue we were teaching them gardening skills and I ended up teaching myself as well. The most enjoyable part of the job was the species themselves especially the cardinal flower which became my favourite plant after this garden planter initiative was completed.

While working for the Toronto Region & Conservation Authority(Bathurst Glen Golf Course) I was able to gain much valued work experience. I started working there when I was a high school student working as a "Back Shop" or a maintenance worker and quickly moved up into the sales or "Pro Shop" position. While in Pro Shop I was able to get a closer look at how a business is run and was given frequent support from my authorities to do well. All of the employees were friendly and supportive and truly made me want to work hard and strive to my potential. Some of the higher traffic days would be more difficult than others, but those were the exciting days; the days where I could push myself and see where I needed improvement. All in all, it was a great work environment and I recommend working there to all my peers.

This used to be a great place to work, Unfortunately, things have changed and the loss of many good employees isn't as a result of change. People can handle change, even if they hate it. Being manipulative, nontransparent, but saying you want to be transparent, are not the qualities of great leaders. New management has taken the bull by the horns and have forgotten that it's human beings that work here. People have lives, people have feelings, people want to feel important by making positive contributions but when every single idea or attempt at making things better is squashed, you start thinking of going somewhere where your talent is valued and appreciated.

Working the two months with the TRCA over the past summer was eventful. Every day I got to work I was given a different job from the day before. One day I would be painting furniture, the next I would be cleaning out abounded cabins. Our job was restoring an old camp site, and within this were 4 different areas: construction/restoration, ecology, media, and arts. I learned a bunch of new and different skills, of how to use certain tools, and working well with the people around me. The most enjoyable part of my job was how every day that I went to work I was doing something new. And with that being said the hardest part was working 8hrs a day, 5 days a week, outside in all different conditions. But never the less it was an amazing experience.

TRCA gave me the opportunity to continue to develop my skills in species identification and discover what my body was really capable of. In a physically demanding job as a tree planter, I learned what tree and shrub species grow best in certain conditions and habitats, as well as remediation efforts necessary for wildlife conservation. Everyone is kind, patient and encouraging during every step of the way. Pushing past physical limitations was the hardest, but most rewarding part of the job. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to work here and make life-long friends along the way.

The TRCA is a good place to acquire archaeological field experience as they provide a stable work environment in the field season, including work on days where there is no field work.  While there were some management issues during my period of working there, these have been dealt with and changed.  There is some difficulty in advancement, as it is based more on the length of time spent working there rather than based on skills.  The archaeological team are quite a fun group of people to work with and the overall feel is of familiarity and joking around.

The people and co-workers were great, the job was fun but the culture was not sustainable.There were 2 managers for every employee and no one person who was competent and experienced in the field. Overtime was never given due to format of payroll. Never saw my supervisor outside of a building, organization did not adapt or change to circumstances. When asked for written extension to my contract as was not comfortable with a verbal one, was refused.

The individuals on my team were lovely, hard-working people. They were the highlight of the job as we were there to support each other. However, this was often overshadowed by the shortcomings of the higher-up staff. They were often out of touch with the day-to-day operations of their sites, leaving the staff short-handed and lacking in resources. It always felt as though revenue and the "bottom line" were far more important than creating an environment that allowed us to effectively run a program. There was also little to no opportunity for advancement.

Pioneer village (part of TRCA) has much potential, but due to all the hoops needing to be jumped through on a bureaucracy standpoint, very few ideas get the green light. Part time hours, but due to the scheduling, becomes like a full time job. 

Loved the village and the interepreters, but hated having my hands tied.

The pay is pretty bad compared to other public jobs and other conservation authorities. Raises are a joke. No bonuses. It is difficult to be promoted because it is typical that they already have someone in mind for the role when a job gets posted. There are some office politics to deal with. 
The workload is easy and most people are really knowledgeable, helpful, kind, and passionate about their work. The work is rewarding as it really makes a difference to the community. Management makes an effort to be approachable. 

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Park attendant 35 salaries reported	$26.13 per hour
Interpreter 11 salaries reported	$29.24 per hour
Crew leader 15 salaries reported	$32.25 per hour
Camp counselor 17 salaries reported	$25.15 per hour
Lead hand 14 salaries reported	$40.58 per hour

Working at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority: company overview and reviews

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority ratings

Popular jobs at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

Salary satisfaction

Job seeker tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected