Chambly Canal National Historic Site photo via Parks Canada

Summer has arrived in Canada, which means Parks Canada has opened for the season. To officially commemorate the season opener, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, responsible for Parks Canada gave an official address this weekend.

"Today, I am pleased to be celebrating the opening of Parks Canada's 2016 visitor season at Thousand Islands National Park,” said McKenna.

The season looks to be a busy one as Parks Canada rolls out new programs and initiatives, in part due to a sizeable boost in funding from the federal government. Among this year’s proposed earmarks are $42.4 million towards developing new national parks and national marine conservation areas as well as $16.6 million towards expanding the Learn to Camp program, which encourages eco-tourism and indigenous story-telling.

Parks Canada has also announced it plans to make significant investments in infrastructure, particularly at campgrounds, in day use areas and trail rehabilitation. Additionally, it plans to add more oTENTik accommodations, a nationwide program where campgrounds come with read-to-inhabit domiciles that are a cross between a tent and a cabin-style lodge.

This summer should be a big season for camping, according to Kampgrounds of America (KOA), which operates 35 locations throughout Canada. According to a recent study, KOA found that Canadian campers plan to increase their camping trips by 18%.

Parks Canada, in partnership with Environment and Climate Change Canada, has also announced it will hire 400 students who will work in a variety of positions this summer, including assisting with research and monitoring species-at-risk. Others will serve as interpretive guides who will share information with park visitors.

Also on the docket for Parks Canada is a Budget 2016 line-item for $83.3 million, which will be allocated towards free admission for all national park visitors during Canada’s sesquicentennial celebrations in 2017. Parks Canada has also announced it will offer free lockage fees for boaters at its historic canals in 2017. The proposed funding is intended to increase awareness of Canada’s National Parks and to boost attendance in the coming year.

"As we near the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, I invite Canadians to experience and learn more about our environment and our history,” said McKenna. “Whether at a national park or historic site, or along a heritage canal, these treasured sites allow Canadians to experience history and nature in a special way, and they will play a big part in the celebration of our country."

As more Canadians are looking to travel closer to home this summer, next year’s free admission campaign could also serve to drive more visitors to parks this year, especially for travellers looking to “avoid the crowds” during the nation’s 150^th birthday celebration.

Individual parks and sites are also rolling out independent campaigns for the summer. In Quebec, for example, the historic Chambly and Saint-Ours canals, which meander through the scenic Richelieu Valley, are offering two-for-one lockage fees for boaters through June 30, 2016.

"As Canada's largest provider of natural and cultural tourism, Parks Canada's destinations provide unique opportunities to connect with history and nature,” said Luc-André Mercier, Director of Quebec Waterways for Parks Canada. “The Government of Canada is proud to welcome Canadian and international visitors to experience and enjoy the very best of what Canada has to offer in one of the finest and most extensive systems of protected natural and cultural heritage areas in the world."

Parks Canada encompasses a network that includes 46 national parks, 168 national historic sites and four national marine conservation areas.

For more information, visit www.parkscanada.gc.ca.

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