Parks Canada kicks off the Canada 150 celebrations at Forillon National Park  

News Release

May 30, 2017                                   Gaspé, Quebec                        Parks Canada Agency


On June 2nd, Forillon National Park will open to visitors for the 2017 season.

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the government is pleased to offer free admission to Parks Canada sites in 2017. The FREE 2017 Discovery Pass provides unlimited opportunities to visit national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas across the country.

This year, Forillon National Park offers new experiences and activities that will allow more Canadians, especially young people and recent immigrants, to be inspired by nature and history.

Canada’s national parks and national historic sites will play an important role in the celebrations surrounding the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Forillon National Park will be hosting many new events and activities to mark the occasion. Highlights include:

New interpretation activities  

· Parks Canada and the Mi’kmaq Nation of Gespeg have joined forces to showcase Mi’kmaq culture and traditions at Forillon National Park. This summer, Mi’kmaq interpretive guides will present weekly interpretive activities to help visitors learn more about their traditional culture. Special programming will also mark International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on August 9th.

· On June 15th, 18th, and 22nd, the new VIP excursion All About Black Bears will be offered to small groups. (Information and signup: 418-892-5825)  

 

An array of special events

· On July 1st, for Canada Day, the team at Forillon invites you to take part in the “Spécial 150” BioBlitz! The mission? Observe and document 150 animal and plant species in one day. (Information and signup: 418-892-5825)

· On Saturday July 15th, to commemorate Parks Day, a team from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF-Canada) will visit for an activity on the ecological importance of prey fish.

· From August 7th–11th, to mark Archaeology Month, join in the public archeological digs taking place in Penouille, led by a Parks Canada senior archeologist. (Information and signup: 418-892-5825)

· Many events presented with our partners will be back this year: Rencontres internationales de la photographie (mid-July to September 30th), Ultra-Trail du Bout du monde (September 22nd–24th), and—of course!—the extremely popular Chloé Ste-Marie concert at Cap-Bon-Ami as part of Festival Musique du Bout du Monde (August 13th at 4:45 a.m.).

· New modules to explore the history of geology will also be presented at the Interpretation Centre this summer, in cooperation with the Geological Survey of Canada.

To ensure the best possible experience, visitors are encouraged to plan ahead and check out event and program information through our website or our social media channels.

The FREE Parks Canada 2017 Discovery Pass is available online and at entrances and welcome centres at Parks Canada’s sites. Admission tickets will also be available from our partners, including Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) and CIBC.  

Please note that in 2017, only admission is free. Fees still apply for special interpretative services and recreational services and products such as camping and firewood, fishing permits, and overnights in the backcountry.

Quotes

“National parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas represent the very best that Canada has to offer and tell stories of who we are, including the history, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous Peoples. As Canada turns 150 this year, the Government of Canada’s gift to you is free admission to all Parks Canada’s places. The Parks Canada team looks forward to welcoming you in 2017.”


The Honorable Catherine McKenna
Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

Quick Facts

  • Forillon National Park is looking forward to an outstanding season in 2017. Since campsite reservations opened on January 19th, we’ve had 3,551 bookings for a total of 12,537 overnights (compared to 1,329 bookings and 5,302 nights this time last year).

  • Due to work currently underway at Fort Peninsula, the site will be closed until the end of July 2017.

  • All Greater Gaspé residents will receive the Forillon National Park Visitors Guide 2017 in the mail. They are the first  ambassadors of Forillon National Park.

Associated Links

Contacts

Karine Parenteau
Public Relations and Communications Officer
Gaspésie Field Unit
418-368-5538
karine.parenteau@pc.gc.ca


Media Relations
Parks Canada Agency
855-862-1812 
pc.media@pc.gc.ca

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