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Wasan Island

Welcome to Wasan

CSI is delighted to invite you to Wasan Island, a rejuvenating space exclusively for social impact work. Ideally suited for strategic planning sessions, deep learning, and collaborative alignment, Wasan is the place where your team builds the trust and relationships that make the rest of the year seamless and easy.

Wasan Island, situated on Lake Rosseau in Muskoka, offers an ideal environment for work and play: facilitate your sessions in our peaceful Pavilion room by day and paddle among the islands of Lake Rosseau by kayak in the afternoon. Whether you’re looking for an early morning brainstorm at the water’s edge, campaign conversations over a mouth-watering dinner (prepared by our on-island professional chef), or to deepen your strategy around the campfire, Wasan is the perfect place for your next retreat. Bring up your whole organization, your leadership team, or your board – we have a variety of accommodations for up to 25 people and yes, stays are all inclusive! Looking to rent the island for your next retreat? Fill out our inquiries form below.

Breuninger and CSI share a commitment to operating Wasan Island as a restful and restorative place for non-for profit and charitable activities, for visioning, reflection and strategy, for strengthening diverse collaborations motivated by social purpose, for local and global initiatives and for creating a space for healing and rejuvenation.

Past guests at Wasan Island have included Ashoka, Network for the Advancement of Black Communities, Social Innovation Canada, BMW Foundation, and Kalamuna.

Programming at Wasan Island

As part of CSI’s mission to catalyze social change, we’re excited to be offering a variety of programming at Wasan Island this summer.

Social Innovation Immersion

Join facilitators Darcy Riddell, Tonya Surman, and Lisa Gibson from June 12-16, 2023 for a mini-master’s degree in social innovation, delivered as a beautiful retreat on Wasan Island, where you get to co-learn with other change makers.

The Art of Hosting

Please join us for the Art of Hosting: Living Systems Leadership residential learning experience at Wasan Island with Rehana Tejpar, Sophia Horwitz, Moyo Rainos Mutamba, and Gregory Woolner from July 4-7.

Let’s get into the details.

Wasan Island offers the very best of a true cottage country experience, including swimming, hot tubbing, sauna, boating, fishing, and much more. And of course, there is WiFi! The island can accommodate up to 25 people (shared occupancy) for an exclusive Muskokan experience on Lake Rosseau.  

We are ecstatic to offer retreat space for non-profits and charities working in social impact! Space is available to select organizations working towards community benefit who have been invited by CSI, the Breuninger Foundation, or those who have applied and been approved by CSI. Interested in renting the island for your next conference or retreat? Complete our rental inquiries booking form below for Summer 2023.

The Pavilion room is uniquely designed to host mindful retreats, discussions, and meetings, with space for up to 40 people. The Grey Boathouse, one of the larger buildings on the island, can serve as a work and leisure space, and can accommodate up to 30 people. At the Lodge, you’ll find communal dining and living space, as well as the full kitchen.

This space comes equipped with a projector and screen, an HDMI cable, white boards, flip charts, post its, pens and markers. The set up of the room is configured in a circle. You are welcome to adjust this to suit your needs, but please set it up as you found it when you leave Wasan. There is a kitchenette outside the meeting room. 

Wasan Island has many different accommodation options, varying in size and form. Some rooms have a private bath, whereas others share a bath between two or three rooms. Others have king beds, some have queens, and others have doubles and singles. Some rooms are within larger buildings, like the Lodge or Pavilion, and some are on their own in bunkies located throughout the island. 

The island will be open to conference rentals from Mid May to end of October. Please note that a minimum 3-night stay is required, and we will no longer be accepting private rentals on the weekend.

An all inclusive price of $10,000+HST per night (~$400 per person) provides boat rides to and from the island, all meals, dinner wine and beer, and unlimited access to all business and recreational amenities. 

Deposit Policy:
To secure your booking at Wasan Island, we require a 25% deposit at the time of booking to reserve your stay. The remaining balance of your stay will be charged to your card on file 20 days prior to your check in.

Cancellation Policy:
Notice of cancellation must be provided by email to 
If you are cancelling more than 90 days ahead of your check in, your deposit will be returned.
If you are cancelling more than 60 days ahead of your check in, your deposit is non refundable.
If you cancel more than 30 days ahead of your check in, we will charge 50% of your stay.
If you cancel with 29 days or less notice prior to your check in, you’ll be charged the full amount of your stay.

Wasan Island is located on the traditional territory of the Anishinabe. This territory is covered by the Robinson Huron Treaty (1850) and the William Treaty (1923). There are several neighbouring First Nations communities whose ancestors live(d) in this area, including Rama (Mnjikaning), Wahta, and Wasauksing (Parry Island). There are three nations represented in the area: the Anishinabe (Ojibway), Pottawatomi and Mohawk.
 
The Muskoka area is considered shared hunting ground among many Indigenous nations. Communities lived in this region in permanent villages or summer settlements historically. Chief Mesqua Ukee or Misquakie (english name William Yellowhead) fought with the British during the War of 1812. The Muskoka region is named after him. The Mohawks of the Wahta First Nation were moved to this area in 1881, from Quebec after a dispute with the Catholic Church.
 
The first permanent settlement in the Muskokas was called Obajewanung, at present day Port Carling. Within 20 years of signing the Robinson Huron Treaty, the community members were relocated to reserves in the area. In more contemporary times, Indigenous peoples are often erased or invisible from the landscapes of “cottage country” in Ontario, including the Muskokas. Cottage country has shifted how Indigenous peoples interact with their traditional territories, and in some areas this has led to strained relations.

Wasan Island is being operated in 2023 through a partnership between the Breuninger Foundation (German foundation and owner) and the Centre for Social Innovation (Canadian social enterprise and operator).

Interested in renting Wasan Island?

Please fill out our form below. 

Fill out my online form.

Contact wasan@socialinnovation.ca with any questions.