Resort in northern Ont. offers guests close-up view of the wolves

Be part of a wolf pack in Timmins Sleeping with the Wolves is a new tourist attraction at Cedar Meadows Resort and Spa and will open to guests soon.

Richard Lafleur, owner of Cedar Meadows Resort and Spa, has always had a passion for wildlife.

For the past two years, Lafleur has been building a new tourism attraction near Timmins, Ont., at his multi-use facility that he calls, ‘Sleeping with the Wolves.’ He’s recently acquired 11 wolves from a zoo in southern Ontario, including four pups born in April.

“I kind of baby them,” said Lafleur.

“They’re being introduced to an existing pack so I wanted them young because I want them to be familiar with the facility here.”

Lafleur built five cabins on the property, complete with many comforts of home including a sofa, a kitchenette and a gas fireplace.

What makes the cabins unique are the bedrooms are made of glass to allow guests to get a good look at the wolves and the stars.

“This is something the big hotels cannot touch,” said Lafleur.

“It’s labour intensive, but I’m doing it. It’s a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week job but I enjoy doing it. For me, it’s not a job.”

Soon, Cedar Meadows will be ready to welcome its first round of guests from its waiting list, which currently sits at 6,000.

Like the Polar Bear Habitat in Cochrane, Lafleur said there is no guarantee the animals will be seen as they’re free to roam the ten acres of land available to them.

“Most of the time they howl at night but they don’t necessarily howl every night,” he said.

“You gotta’ have patience and ... you won’t necessarily see all the pack all at once … When you do see the pack, a lot of the time they’re playful.”

The television is in the dining room to ensure opportunities to see the wolves are not missed from the comfort of your bed.