FAQ
Tell me more about the YMCA!
The YMCA is a charity that has been helping Canadians improve their lives since 1851. Discover the YMCA and find the one closest to you.
What is the difference between YMCA at Home and Y@HOME+ ?
YMCA at Home first launched in March of 2020 during temporary YMCA closures due to COVID-19. YMCA programs are offered on YMCA at Home for FREE to support Canadians with both mental and physical health during a challenging time.
Y@HOME+ is a secure area of the YMCA at Home platform offering exclusive content only available to Y@HOME+ members. YMCA members at participating locations have free access.
What do I need to participate in programs?
Any equipment/ingredient required will be explained in the beginning of video and in the video description.
We offer a selection of fitness videos that can be completed without any equipment and some that do require equipment. We try to feature fitness equipment that is more commonly attainable for home use like dumbbells, kettlebells and bands in our videos that do feature equipment. Substitutions will be recommended to offer options suitable for a variety of difficulty levels. Please read our health and safety statement here.
Do I have to become a Y@HOME+ member to continue using YMCA at Home?
No, YMCA at Home will continue to offer free content you can access anytime, anywhere.
Will there still be new workout videos that are free?
Yes, YMCA at Home will continue to put out new content on a regular basis. Our primary goal is to remain true to our long-standing mission to make health and fitness attainable, affordable, and approachable.
Who qualifies for free access to Y@HOME+?
Y@HOME+ is free for paying active YMCA adult members at participating YMCA locations. See the list of participating YMCAs by visiting www.ymcahome.ca/member.
Why is a credit card required to sign up even if I am a YMCA member?
Y@HOME+ uses Member Areas from Squarespace which requires a credit card on your file. Rest assured that you will not be charged if you have a valid discount code. Ensure you have applied your discount code so that you see the order is for 0.00.
If you do not qualify for a discount code you will see the $5.99+tax per month recurring fee applied to your credit card.
I entered my credit card but forgot to enter my coupon code or did not apply my coupon code...what do I do?
Submit a form request at www.ymcahome.ca/contact and someone will be in touch ASAP.
In your message, explain that you signed up without applying your discount code and your card was charged. Please ensure we have your full name and the order number that was attached to your transaction.
We will issue a full refund and communicate this via email with you.
Can I share the resources with others?
YMCA at Home will still offer free content you can share with your family and friends! The content on Y@HOME+ is only available to the account holder and their immediate family and should not be shared widely with others.
What is the YMCA’s health and safety policy?
Please read our health and safety statement here. If you feel unwell during any exercises please stop your activity and contact your doctor or local emergency services.
How do I register for a live class?
Review the list of available class times and descriptions and select “Sign Up’ for the class you wish to join.
Enter your name, phone and email address and click “Complete Class Registration”.
You will be provided a confirmation email that will contain the link to join your class as well as an email reminder one hour before class starts.
You will be able to join your class up to 5 minutes before the start time of that specific class.
How far in advance can I book live classes?
You will be able to see and book classes 10 days into the future.
Is there a limit to how many classes I can book?
No, we do not limit how many classes you can book. If you are unable to attend the class, please cancel your spot to allow someone else to enjoy the class.
How do I cancel a live class I booked?
You can click the “Cancel Your Class Spot” in the email confirmation you received for each specific class.
You can also go to the scheduler when you log in to Y@HOME+ and cancel for any classes you have registered for by clicking “Cancel” beside the time shown for the specific class you have signed up for. Complete the instructions that come up after hitting cancel and your spot will be freed up for another person to enjoy.
How do I know which classes or videos are best for me?
Live Classes all include a description that should help determine if the class is right for you. The name is sometimes followed by a word in brackets like Chair, Power or Gentle. This is an indicator of the style of class will be taught with. If you require low impact classes, try the classes with the word Gentle in the title or description or that say they “focus on older adults”. Many of our classes will show options to include a variety of difficulty levels.
On Demand Fitness videos all offer titles, descriptions, difficulty levels and time commitment. Each of these items will offer insight into whether this is an ideal workout for you or not. Our categories help establish the discipline the class covers, ie. Strength or cardio. It also helps establish the target audience, ie. Is it for kids or older adults?
From there, we break our difficulty level down for each category into beginner, intermediate or advanced. If you are new to fitness, try our beginner videos. If you have more than 3 months of exercise experience you may be ready to try our intermediate videos. If you are very proficient with exercise you will enjoy our advanced videos.
If you need additional support determining the right classes or videos for you, you can submit a form request at www.ymcahome.ca/contact and we will have a fitness professional reach out to support you further.
What is the best way to view the content?
The Y@Home+ website is mobile friendly and can be viewed on a desktop, tablet or mobile phone device.
Can I join the live fitness classes using my mobile device?
Yes! You need to have the Zoom app downloaded in order to access the class on your mobile. You can find the Zoom app in your App Store for iOS and Android.
How do I cast content to my TV?
Laptop to TV:
Plug an HDMI C cable from your laptop to one of the HDMI ports on your TV. This method offers high quality visuals and very little lagging.
Use a Chrome browser and click on the 3 vertical dots on the top right corner and click on cast.
Phone to TV:
For iOS users you would use the built-in screen mirroring functionality and cast to your selected device (smart tv, rocket stick or Chromecast plugged into a standard tv). Access Screen Mirroring by swiping down from the top of your phone screen and selecting “Screen Mirroring”
For Android users you can use the Smart view feature built into your phone and cast to your selected device (smart tv, rocket stick or Chromecast plugged into a standard TV). Access Smart View by swiping down from the top of your phone screen and selecting “Smart View”
Smart TV: Many TV’s now include Roku or other built-in software. You will be able to play our site via using the built in Web browser in your TV or casting features.
Why does an invalid address message appear when I try to access the live fitness classes on my phone?
In order to access the class on your mobile device, you must first download the Zoom app. If you do not have the Zoom app downloaded, you may see a message pop up on your phone indicating that the URL address is invalid. This message will only appear if the Zoom app is not downloaded. You can find the Zoom app in your App Store for iOS and Android.
I am experiencing poor quality when I stream a live class. How can I fix this?
If you are experiencing choppy audio or lagging (latency) when streaming live, our recommendation is to test your Wi-Fi and ensure it is functioning properly.
If you go to https://fast.com/ and test your internet, you want to get speeds of 25Mbps or higher to properly stream a class and have it function properly. Contact your internet service provider to ensure you are getting the best out of your Wi-Fi.
We use dedicated ethernet connection to stream our classes and have moderators on hand monitoring the class. If there is a technical issue from our end, we will communicate that in your specific class.
You can also check which settings you are streaming in and lower the quality to 720p or 480p to take the pressure off your Wi-Fi connection.
How do I get support for Y@HOME+?
Read our FAQs page to see if that can provide an answer to your question. If our FAQ will not solve your question, you can submit a form request at www.ymcahome.ca/contact and someone will be in touch ASAP.
How are failed payments handled?
You will receive an email notification about the failed payment. The email will include a link to update your billing information.
We will attempt to charge your credit card two more times over a period of ten days. If it fails all three times, the subscription will be cancelled, and you will receive a cancelation email.
How do I obtain a copy of my receipt?
Receipts to Y@Home+ are emailed to you when you sign up for an account and every month when your subscription is renewed. You can also access receipts by clicking on “account” on the top right of the website and clicking on “Order” and then clicking on your Order #.
How do I update information on my account?
If you sign in and then click “Account” in the top right section of the website it will take you to a tab where you can change your name, address, and update payment information.
If you need assistance, please contact us at www.ymcahome.ca/contact
How can I cancel my subscription?
You can cancel it at any time by accessing the Account tab near the top right of the website. Access your orders and cancel your subscription. Please note your access to Y@HOME+ will be cancelled immediately once you complete this process.
If you would rather your access cancel end at the end of a billing cycle, please submit a request to us at www.ymcahome.ca/contact. We will cancel before the next payment and send you an email confirmation that your request has been completed.
Is there a mobile app? There is not a separate mobile app but you can use the website like an app by saving it to the home screen of your smartphone or tablet.