To help limit the spread of COVID-19, Parks Canada April 15 announced it is suspending camping, group activities, and events across the country until at least May 31.

The agency is calling on Canadians to stay home and help limit the spread of COVID-19.

Camping, group activities and events at all national parks, national historic sites, heritage canals and national marine conservation areas are suspended until at least May 31. The current suspension of visitor services and vehicle access by visitors, as well as the temporary closure of visitor facilities, will remain in place until further notice.

This means:

• All visitor services, including reception, information, lockage and mooring are suspended until further notice;
• All visitor facilities, including parking lots, washrooms, day use areas and visitor centres are closed until further notice;
• All camping facilities including backcountry camping, oTENTiks, and other roofed accommodations remain closed until further notice;
• All events, group and interpretive activities are cancelled until at least May 31;
• Parks Canada will not be taking new reservations until at least June 1. All existing reservations set to take place prior to May 31, will be automatically cancelled and refunded in full.

These measures are necessary to support the national effort to limit the spread of COVID-19 and reduce health and safety risks to all Canadians. While the agency looks forward to resuming services, anyone planning a visit should be aware that these measures may extend beyond May 2020 and any resumption of services will take time or be incremental in nature.

Parks Canada will continue to deliver services critical for Canadians, including highway maintenance, fire response, dam operations and water management on historic waterways, avalanche control, among others.

“The Government of Canada is asking Canadians to stay home and help limit the spread of COVID-19. Parks Canada is taking these additional measures to help keep people safe. Like all Canadians, I love our national parks and historic sites, but at this time we must all continue to do our part to flatten the curve, look out for one another, and make choices that will help reduce the pressure on our health care system,” stated Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada.

Lead image: Miner’s tent camping at Kootenay National Park’s Redstreak Campground beside Radium Hot Springs. e-KNOW file photo

e-KNOW

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