The YMCA stands resolute in our commitment to foster hope, growth, and strength.
As we embark on the next chapter of our journey, our Strategic Plan 2024-2028 is our visionary roadmap designed to ignite potential and resilience in the lives of young people, our employees and seniors. We aspire to provide leadership that champions mental well-being, develops resilient young people, combats social inequities, and nurtures the potential within every individual.
2026 Annual Operating Plan: Turning Insight into Action
Our 2026 Annual Operating Plan builds on a full year of outcome measurement, moving from learning to action across Young People, Employees, and Seniors. This year introduces formal volunteer tracking across our ecosystem, a new focus on physical function for seniors through gait speed, and continued investment in employee recognition and organizational health. The plan reflects a refined, data-informed approach, strengthening how we deliver programs, support communities, and translate impact into meaningful change.
Igniting Potential to Save Lives
The essence of this strategic plan is grounded in our unwavering
belief in the boundless potential of each person. You can download our 2024-2028 Strategic Plan here:
2025 Annual Operating Plan Fourth-Quarter Results
Q4 2025 Results: From Measurement to Meaningful Impact
YMCA Hamilton|Burlington|Brantford closed out 2025 with strong progress across our YES priorities: Young People, Employees, and Seniors. This quarter marked our first full year of outcome measurement, helping us move beyond participation to better understand how our programs are making a difference.
Key highlights:
95,026 community members served, with enabled access supporting more people than in 2024
56,048 young people reached, with emerging resilience gains, including statistically significant results from the Wanakita Student Counsellor Program
6,465 seniors engaged, showing strong belonging outcomes
Employee organizational health remained healthy at 77, with recognition improving to 70
Together, these results reflect a YMCA that is becoming more data-informed, more intentional, and more focused on meaningful impact.
Outcomes at a Glance
2025 marked our first full year of outcome measurement, helping us move from participation to impact. Three themes emerged: sustained engagement drives results, strong systems matter, and combining outputs with outcomes sharpens how we plan.
Young People: Resilience gains are emerging, with statistically significant improvement in the YMCA Wanakita Student Counsellor Program.
Employees: Organizational health remained healthy at 77, with recognition improving to 70.
Seniors: Connection remained strong at 89, celebration scores increased, and gait speed will be introduced in 2026 to support healthy aging.
Explore the full 2025 Q4 Results and 2026 Annual Operating Plan to learn more.
Our YMCA Ecosystem of Offerings
Our Cause
Lifting people wherever they may be in their life journey, through our programs and spaces of belonging.
The Y Saves Lives.
Our Vision
Creating a vibrant and healthy community where everyone thrives, igniting their fullest potential.
Our Mission
The YMCA of Hamilton|Burlington| Brantford is a charitable organization that creates spaces to belong and promotes healthy living for people at all stages of life.
Our Values
Caring. Honesty. Inclusion. Respect. Responsibility.
