Venture Academy (Springwater, Ontario)

Venture Academy is a for-profit residential treatment center costing more than $15,000 to enroll a teenager. It is located in Springwater, Ontario, Canada, and claims to provide therapy and educational services for teenagers experiencing behavioral and mental health issues. Global News classifies Venture Academy as a troubled teen industry. The program targets teens aged 13 to 18.^[1] It operates as part of a network that once included places in British Columbia, and Alberta.^[2] Venture Academy faced allegations of sexual abuse and mistreatment in 2025.

Venture Academy was founded in 2001 by Gordon Hay and Teresa Hay in Kelowna, British Columbia.^[2] The founders, who had experience as foster parents, hoped to create an alternative to traditional boot camps or boarding schools.^[1] By 2025, the company reported having supported nearly 2,000 youth and families across its sites.^[2] In response to the investigation by Global News in 2025 they have removed names of all staff from their website and removed the place from google maps. Venture announced plans to transition to a non-profit model and establish a youth mental health advisory committee.^[2]

The Ontario program begins with a 30-day assessment period designed to stabilize behaviors and identify underlying issues, followed by longer-term treatment lasting three to 12 months.^[3] Participants are placed in host family homes after the first phase, where they receive therapeutic support.^[2] Venture Academy claims to provide clinical therapy, educational support aligned with provincial curricula, and family reintegration efforts.^[1] Host parents, who receive monthly payments starting at $2,100, undergo basic screening, including criminal checks and first aid certification.^[4] Costs exceed $15,000 for the first month and $10,000 monthly thereafter.

In 2025, a six-month investigation by Global News revealed allegations from many former attendees, parents, and staff claiming that the program caused psychological harm. Claims included restrictive practices such as monitored communications and limited bathroom access. Fifteen out of sixteen interviewed youth from Venture Academy that their mental health worsened, with some developing post-traumatic stress disorder or new addictions.^[2] Former staff described minimal training and pressure to extend stays.^[2] In 2020, Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions investigated Venture Academy, verifying risks of emotional harm to some youth and issuing 26 recommendations on consent, social interaction, and host parent training.^[2] Ontario's Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services found 147 breaches of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act in 2024 and 2025, including failures to inform youth of rights and improper documentation. A 2022 ministry report criticized the welcome package as deficient. Further allegations came out regarding sexual abuse in host homes. Since 2010, at least four cases have been reported, including incidents at Venture Academy in 2011. One host parent was convicted in 2022 of sexual touching and was sentenced to 28 months in prison. Civil lawsuits were filed, one was settled and others are ongoing. A 2016 incident involved a host parent arrested for drug-related offenses, leading to his guilty plea.^[2][4] in response to allegations they took the names of staff off of their website and remove the place from Google Maps.^[2]