Canada Strong Park Pass has brought large crowds, but some wonder if everyone should come in for free

Lorne and Riza McVicar from Halifax were enthusiastic to take advantage of the acclaimed of the federal government Canada Strong Pass. It includes automatic free access to the national parks of Canada and a 25 percent discount on campsites from 20 June to 2 September.

The pass is invoiced as a way for Canadians To easily explore their own country. But Lorne McVicar says it really made it harder for the couple for vacation in Canada – and he wonders why the program is open to everyone, including international tourists.

In June, he says, the couple tried to reserve a campsite in July in July in New Brunswick’s Fundy National Park, but it was completely booked that month. For example, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Gros Morne National Park were.

“I expected Canada with the Strong Pass, there would be a higher demand for these campsites, but I did not expect it would be such a requirement that everything was sold out,” said McVicar.

Parks Canada told CBC News that it will not have any presence data until the end of the season, but says that it has had eight consecutive years of above -average visitation and expects high volumes to continue this year.

However, one thing is already clear: the Strong Pass of Canada has contributed to attracting an influx of visitors to the most popular parks in the country, which is concerned about overcapacity.

Stay off the sand dunes

At the end of July, Prince Edward Island National Park announced It has experienced a record number of visitors and traffic congestion.

“It’s crowded,” said Mike Kelly, who visits the park close to and often. “If you are going to invite the whole world here for free, you should be ready.”

In the midst of the record, the park has reissued the park warnings for visitors To stay away from his sand dunes, who Help to protect the coastline of storm tides. Walking on them damages the grass that keeps them together, which leads to their destruction.

“I see a lot of people walking on the dunes; I see many people digging on the dunes,” said Kelly. “It’s really daunting.”

Park Warden Doug Campbell says that with the large influx of visitors, more people probably penetrate the dunes.

“It is such a beautiful place and we hate to see damage caused.”

Traffic jams

More visitors also means more traffic on roads near popular parks, including the world -famous Banff National Park. The traffic in the city of Banff is on pace for a record year, with volume more than six percent in the last seven months, compared to the same period last year.

“We are so happy that people can make contact with their national park system. But we do know that we cannot process that volume of vehicles in the long term,” said Banff Mayor Corrie Dimanno.

Traffic became so heavy in the Waterton Lakes National Park in Southern Alberta on 3 August that park officials had to be Blocks of cars coming in About two and a half hours.

“We acknowledge that that has a real impact on visitors and a really challenging situation for all involved,” said Christy Gustavison, visitor experience manager for the park.

The only other time Waterton had to close the park for traffic was in 2017 – when Parks Canada also offered free access to celebrate the 150th birthday of the country.

Parks Canada responds

Spokesperson Claudia Crépeault of Parks Canada told CBC News in an e -mail that “traffic diversions and fully booked campsites take place every year”, and that the current camping reservation levels are comparable to previous years.

But according to recent regional CBC news messages, July saw larger camping -mixed – at least in some parks.

Parks Canada told CBC last month That the campsites of Gros Morne National Park booked about a month earlier than last year. The desk said too That in La Mauricie National Park in Quebec, on an annual basis on an annual basis was 19 percent and the camping bookings with 10 percent between 7 and 13 July.

Crépeault also said that Parks Canada absorb many effective strategies to manage crowds and protect the ecosystems of the parks.

American Parks Surcharge

Because the Strong Pass of Canada was promoted as an advantage for Canadians, it has asked questions about why it is accessible to international visitors.

“It should only have been for taxpayers,” said McVicar, Van Halifax. “It was for Canadians to access the Canadian parks.”

Hermine Landry, spokesperson for the office of the Minister of Canadian identity and culture, did not immediately engage why foreign travelers have also been able to use the pass.

“Our government will revise the success of the pass this summer to assess its impact,” she said in an e -mail to CBC News, adding that the pass has proved popular with many Canadians.

There are currently no data that suggests that international tourists are behind an increase in a park visit this year. Many countries, including Ecuador And Costa RicaTake tourists more than their own inhabitants for access to national parks and protected areas.

Last month, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order To touch foreign travelers with an increased reimbursement to visit the national parks of his country. The load to be determined can take effect in 2026. Most American national parks and sites have free access, but popular sites such as Yellowstone and the Rocky mountain Charge access points.

Mcvicar said he hopes that Canada will take a similar step: “[Trump’s fee] Must certainly be confronted with a surcharge for Americans who come to our parks. “

Ottawa did not respond directly to a question whether it is considering doing this.

For their part, the MCVICARS report, they eventually succeeded in booking their camping trip in July, by constantly checking the Parks Canada Reservations site for cancellations.

Yet they say that their journey was not on the same footing with previous years, because they had to change sites five times, because they could only secure one nightbooks every time.

“It’s a shame,” said McVicar. But he added: “Begants cannot be voters.”