Crafting Friendships - Building Bonds
Together, we can make a difference through community support, promoting men's health, and fostering strong social connections
About Burlington Men's Shed
Creating and Strengthing Social Connections
As a proud member of Men's Sheds Canada, we are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive environment where men can connect, learn, and contribute to our community. We started the Burlington Men's Shed in late 2022 and now have over 60 members. In 2024, The Burlington Men’s Shed was registered as a not-for-profit corporation in Ontario—a big milestone in our mission to to build strong social connections and strengthen our community.
What We Do
Since our start in late 2022, the City of Burlington has demonstrated exceptional support for our group through its Adult Program Schedule, providing meeting space, insurance, and participant administration.
We have 2 groups meeting weekly: 9:30am Wednesday's at Tansley Woods Community Centre and 9am Thursdays at the Burlington Seniors Centre. At meetings, members enjoy guest speakers, project planning, open conversation, followed by standing chat with Coffee. With over 60 members from diverse backgrounds, our group values friendship, learning, and purpose.
Over the past year, we’ve participated in many activities outside of our weekly meeting, including:
- Judging an MBA student pitch competition at McMaster University
- Built raised garden beds for the Burlington Food Bank using recycled materials
- Helping to set-up Holiday Light displays in Spencer Smith Waterfront Park
- Volunteering at Local Food Banks
- Touring local industries, including Amazon, Toyota, and a vinyl record pressing plant
- Formed active hiking, bocce ball, bowling, cycling and pickleball groups
As a registered not-for-profit, we’re committed to transparency, good governance, and positive community impact. This structure helps us grow through fundraising, sponsorship's, and partnerships—ensuring the Shed continues to serve Burlington for years to come.
Weekly Newsletter
We publish a weekly newsletter called "Shed Talk" which covers our recent and future activities, fostering community support and promoting men's health. This newsletter is sent to over 80 individuals in our community, helping to strengthen social connections.
In the News!
A Vision for Community: The Burlington Men’s Shed Visits Bateman
On March 11th, over 30 members of the Burlington Men’s Shed toured the former Robert Bateman High School. We want to extend a sincere thank you to the City of Burlington for the opportunity; our members were incredibly impressed by the scale and progress of the renovations. It is clear that Bateman is on its way to becoming a first-class community hub
A Growing Movement in Search of a Home
The Men’s Shed is more than just a club; we are a grassroots movement tackling social isolation and supporting the mental well-being of men in our city. Our membership has already surged to over 60 active members, and with a permanent home, we are confident that number will quickly exceed 200.
Currently, we operate out of temporary locations for only a few hours a week. Despite these limits, the demand for what we offer—connection, purpose, and mentorship—continues to rise.
The Power of Shared Space
We know space is at a premium, which is why our vision is rooted in collaboration, not exclusivity. We envision a 3,000-square-foot shared-use model: the Men's Shed would utilize the space during weekdays, leaving the facility and equipment available for other community groups in the evenings and on weekends.By partnering with the City, we can:
- Maximize Utilization: Keep the facility vibrant and active seven days a week.
- Share Funding: Offset City costs through member dues and independent fundraising.
- Ensure Safety: Implement professional-grade tool security and safety protocols that benefit all users.
Let’s Build Success Together
We are eager to begin a dialogue with City staff and Councillors to make the Men’s Shed part of the "DNA" of the Robert Bateman Community Centre. We’ve demonstrated the demand and the talent; now, we look forward to exploring a partnership that makes Bateman a shining example of what happens when a city and its citizens build something great together.
Join our first Annual General Meeting!
The Details
Mark your calendars and set your alarms:
- When: Wednesday, April 22nd
- Time: 10:00 am
- Where: Tansley Woods Community Centre, Community Room 5
- Who: All members from North and South Sheds
Why Attend?
This isn’t just about paperwork and protocols (though we promise to keep the "boredom factor" to a minimum). This is our opportunity to reflect on what we’ve accomplished together, discuss our future direction, and ensure the Shed remains exactly what our members need.
Looking Forward
A "Shed" is only as strong as its members. We’ve had a great run so far, and we’re looking forward to a great turnout to help us kick off this next chapter. Come for the updates and stay for the camaraderie
Shed Success at the Burlington 55+ Active Living Fair!!
What a day! Despite the "bracing" Canadian winter chill outside, the atmosphere inside the Burlington Seniors’ Centre was warm, buzzing, and full of energy on Saturday Feb 7th.
The Burlington Men’s Shed was out in full force for the Burlington 55+ Active Living Fair, and we couldn't be prouder of how our group was represented. This event was a fantastic milestone for us, providing a high-profile platform to showcase the heart of what we do: building community, staying active, and lending a hand where it's needed most.
Making Connections
Our table was a hive of activity. We had the chance to swap stories with many influential community leaders and residents, further cementing the Shed’s reputation as a vital part of Burlington’s social fabric. It wasn't just about handing out pamphlets; it was about showing the city that the Shed is a place of purpose and camaraderie.
Growing our Shed
The timing couldn't be better. With the South Shed capacity increasing to 25 for the upcoming spring session and a few coveted spots still open at the North Shed, we had plenty of interested folks stopping by to see how they could get involved. The interest we saw on Saturday proves that the need for a space like ours is stronger than ever.
A Huge "Thank You" to Our Volunteers
An event like this only works because of the men who step up. We want to extend a massive thank you to the volunteers who manned the table across both shifts.
- The Morning Crew (10:00 am – 12:00 pm): For kicking things off with great energy.
- The Afternoon Crew (12:00 pm – 2:30 pm): For keeping the momentum going right until the doors closed.
Your willingness to stand (and chat!) for a few hours represents the very best of the Shed spirit. You didn't just promote a group; you welcomed potential new members into our community.
Our Second Burlington Shed Group is up and running! Time to sign-up for the Spring group session!
We're thrilled to announce the opening of our second Shed group: Burlington Men's Shed - South. 20 members signed-up for the new group which held it's first meet on Jan 8th. We are pleased to announce we have increased the capacity to allow 30 members to sign-up for the Spring Session starting April 2nd. The group meets weekly on Thursday's from 9am to 11am at the Burlington Seniors Center, 2285 New St.
Registration for the Spring session starting April 2nd is now open on the City of Burlington Parks and Rec website.
The increased capacity will allow us to welcome even more men and deepen our community impact.
Burlington Men's Shed Facebook site is now Public!
In January 2026, the Burlington Men’s Shed Facebook Page was changed from a Private Group to a Public Group.
By changing to a Public group, all future posts will be visible to everyone on Facebook, helping to increase awareness of our community-based, non-profit organization.
We hope that all current Shed members will choose to become followers of the our Facebook Public Group site
Men's Shed Supports Burlington Festival of Lights
For the 2nd year, the Burlington Men's Shed helped set-up and take down the Festival of Lights at the Spencer Smith Waterfront Park. 8 Men's Shed volunteers spent the day on Wed Nov 13th and the morning of the 14th hauling lights displays and setting them up at various points in the park. Then on Jan 19, seven members of the Burlington Men’s Shed volunteered their time to assist the Burlington Lions Club and King Paving with the take-down of the many light displays.
We thank the Burlington Lion's Club for their excellent work organizing and leading the Festival of Lights!
The light display is a 30 year Burlington tradition that brings so much joy to our community, and Men's Shed is proud to be a part of it!
Councilor Paul Sharman thanks the Shed!
From Ward 5 Councilor Paul Sharman's December 2025 Newsletter
Festival of Lights Set Up, 13 Nov 2025
"It was wonderful to be at Spencer Smith Park helping set up the Festival of Lights, a beloved Burlington tradition that brings so much joy to our community. A sincere thank-you to all the volunteers whose time, energy, and dedication make this event possible each year. Pictured here with members of the Burlington Men’s Shed, whose support and helping hands added to the strong sense of community that makes the Festival of Lights so special."
The Shed Effect: How Burlington’s Men’s Shed Is Transforming Connection, Purpose, and Community
To celebrate International Men’s Day on Wednesday, November 19, the Burlington Men’s Shed hosted a special Open House event called “The Shed Effect.” Held at the Burlington Seniors Centre, the event was a tremendous success thanks to the hard work, enthusiasm, and teamwork of our dedicated Shed members.
We are also grateful for the generous support of Chef Michael, the BSC staff, the Bistro volunteers, and a promotional grant from Men’s Sheds Canada, which helped us provide delicious sandwiches and coffee for all members and guests.
The event offered a wonderful opportunity to:
- Connect with fellow Shedders and meet new people.
- Share stories about what the Shed means to each of us.
- Introduce friends, neighbours, and curious guests to the Men’s Shed movement.
- Build community awareness of the important role Sheds play in supporting men’s health, belonging, and camaraderie.
Space Needed!
If you have space in Burlington that is compatible for setting up a workshop and holding meetings (up to 25 people), we'd love to partner with you. We bring our own tools, insurance, and a dedicated group of guys eager to help. Know a good spot? Let us know!
We funded the purchase of a CNC Router in early 2025, which is initially set up in the garage of one of our members. We have started to take on CNC Wood projects to raise funds for our shed. Check out the "CNC Router Shop" link at the top of the page.
We're a bottom-up organization where new ideas and initiatives are always welcome.
Burlington Men's Shed's
Join us at Burlington Men's Shed and be a part of a global movement that is redefining what it means to support and empower men in today's society.