Canada Strong park pass has brought big crowds, but some question whether everyone should get in for free

Lorne and Riza McVicar of Halifax were excited to use up vantage of the union soldier government's much-touted Canada Strong Pass. It includes automatic free admission to Canada's national parks and a 25 per cent discount on campsites from June 20 to Sept. 2. 

The pass has been billed as a way for Canadians to more easily explore their own country. But Lorne McVicar says it has actually made it more difficult for the couple to vacation in Canada — and he questions why the program is open to everyone, including international tourists. 

In June, he says, the couple tried to reserve a camping site for several days in July at New Brunswick's Fundy National Park, but it was completely booked that month. So was Newfoundland and Labrador's Gros Morne National Park.

"I anticipated with the Canada Strong Pass, there'd be a higher demand for these campsites, but I didn't anticipate that it would be such a demand that everything was sold out," said McVicar. 

However, one thing is already clear: The Canada Strong Pass has helped draw an influx of visitors to the country's most popular parks, sparking concerns about overcapacity. 

In late July, Prince Edward Island National Park announced it has been experiencing record numbers of visitors and traffic congestion. 

"It is overcrowded," said Mike Kelly, who lives close to and frequently visits the park. "If you're going to invite the whole world here for free, you should be ready for it."

Amid the record attendance, the park reissued warnings to visitors to stay off its sand dunes, which help protect the coastline from storm surges. Walking on them damages the grass that holds them together, leading to their destruction.

"I see an awful lot of people walking on the dunes; I see a lot of people digging on the dunes," said Kelly. "It's really disheartening."

Park warden Doug Campbell says with the large influx of visitors, it's likely more people are trespassing on the dunes. 

"It's such a beautiful spot and we hate to see damage done."

More visitors also means more traffic on roadways near popular parks, including the world-famous Banff National Park. Traffic in the town of Banff is on pace for a record-breaking year, with volume up more than six per cent over the past seven months, compared to the same period last year.

"We are so glad that people can connect with their national park system. But we do know that we cannot handle that volume of vehicles into the long term," said Banff Mayor Corrie DiManno.

Traffic got so heavy at southern Alberta's Waterton Lakes National Park on Aug. 3 that park officials had to block cars from entering for about two and a half hours.

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

The only other time Waterton had to temporarily close the park to traffic was in 2017 — when Parks Canada also offered free admission to celebrate the country's 150th birthday. 

Government launches Canada Strong Pass to promote tourism

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

Because the Canada Strong pass was promoted as a perk for Canadians, it has raised questions about why it's accessible to international visitors. 

"It should have been for taxpayers only," said McVicar, of 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 directly address why foreign travellers have also been able to use the pass. 

There currently isn't data suggesting international tourists are behind an uptick in park attendance this year. However, many countries, including Ecuador and Costa Rica, charge tourists more than their own residents to access national parks and protected areas.

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to hit foreign travellers with an increased fee to visit his country's national parks. The yet-to-be-determined charge could take effect in 2026. Most U.S. National parks have free entry, but popular sites like Yellowstone and the Rocky Mountain charge admission fees.

McVicar said he hopes Canada will make a similar move: "[Trump's fee] should definitely be met with a surcharge on Americans coming to our parks."

Ottawa didn't directly respond to a question about whether it's considering doing so. 

For their part, the McVicars report they eventually managed to book their July camping trip, by constantly checking the Parks Canada reservations site for cancellations. 

Still, they say their trip wasn't on par with previous years, because they had to change sites five times over six nights, as they could only secure single-night bookings each time. 

"It's unfortunate," said McVicar. But he added, "Beggars can't be choosers."

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