Celebrating Families and Protected Areas: Parks Canada Kicks-off 2018 Visitor Season
News release
Parks Canada app now features downloadable trail maps and personalized itineraries
May 18, 2018 Ottawa, ON Parks Canada Agency
Today Catherine McKenna, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, took to the waters of Rideau Canal National Historic Site and World Heritage Site during a community paddle to celebrate the launch of Parks Canada’s 2018 visitor season.
During the Canada 150 celebrations last year, millions of Canadians had amazing experiences at Parks Canada’s places across the country. Building on this success, the Government of Canada is celebrating families and the importance of protected areas this year with free admission for youth 17 and under, and for new Canadian citizens to all national parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas, starting in 2018 and beyond.
The launch of the visitor season follows the largest consultation ever on Parks Canada, called the Minister’s Round Table, Let’s Talk Parks, Canada! Through this consultation, the Minister heard from thousands of Canadians on their vision for Parks Canada’s places, and from this, put forward several priorities. These included ensuring ecological integrity is the first priority in considering all aspects of the management of national parks, as well as encouraging more Canadians – particularly youth – to experience the outdoors and learn about our heritage.
As Parks Canada kicks-off the 2018 visitor season, Minister McKenna also launched version 2.0 of the Parks Canada Mobile App. The Parks Canada Mobile App helps visitors plan their trip and enjoy their visit with fun and interactive content. Minister McKenna announced exciting new features that will help visitors make the most of their Parks Canada experiences, including downloadable trail maps and a new feature that allows visitors to edit their own itineraries based on travel dates and events happening at Parks Canada’s places.
Parks Canada manages one of the finest and most extensive systems of protected natural and cultural heritage areas in the world. 2018 is the perfect year to experience Parks Canada’s 450 000 km2 of memories.
To make the most of your visit, Parks Canada invites Canadians to plan their trip ahead of time. Visitors are encouraged to discover new and exciting destinations by downloading the Parks Canada Mobile App for a list of hidden gems and other unique and memorable ways to experience our national treasures.
Quotes
“Following the largest ever consultation on Parks Canada, one of my goals is to encourage more Canadians – particularly youth – to experience the outdoors and learn about our heritage. That’s why I am so proud that we are offering free admission for youth, starting in 2018 and beyond, to national parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas. This is the perfect way to celebrate families and the importance of protected areas. I invite all Canadian families to discover nature and connect with history at Parks Canada’s places. Download the Parks Canada Mobile app and plan your trip today.”
The Honourable Catherine McKenna,
Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada
“As Canada’s largest provider of natural and cultural tourism, Parks Canada’s destinations form important cornerstones for Canada’s tourism industry. Canada continues to grow its tourism sector which supports many middle-class jobs from coast to coast to coast and one of our government’s goals is to sustain the incredible value – both ecological and economic – that our national parks and historic sites provide for communities. I encourage Canadian families to take advantage of free admission for youth to Parks Canada’s places and discover one of the many new and innovative programs that will be offered at national parks and historic sites this year.”
The Honourable Bardish Chagger,
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism
Quick facts
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More than 13,000 Canadians provide feedback through the Minister’s Round Table, Let’s Talk Parks, Canada!. Minister McKenna has identified three priories for Parks Canada: to Protect and Restore our national parks and historic sites; to enable people to further Discover and Connect with our national parks and heritage; and to Sustain for generations to come the incredible value – both ecological and economic – that our national parks and historic sites provide for communities.
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Parks Canada will be welcoming visitors for another season at 46 national parks, one national urban park, four national marine conservations areas, and 171 national historic sites.
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To celebrate diversity in 2018, the Government of Canada is also offering free admission to new Canadian citizens for one year with the Cultural Access Pass. Through the Institute for Canadian Citizenship's Cultural Access Pass program, new citizens will enjoy free admission to Parks Canada’s locations across the country.
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The 2018 Parks Canada Discovery Pass is now on sale and is a great value, providing access to these national treasures all year long. The Parks Canada Discovery Pass is the ideal way to discover nature and connect with Canada’s history. For information on purchasing the 2018 Parks Canada Discovery Pass, please visit the Parks Canada website.
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Parks Canada is offering a 50% discount on seasonal lockage permits in 2018 for canoes and kayaks on our historic waterways in Ontario and Quebec. The Seasonal Lockage Permits can be purchased on-line at the Parks Canada’s website and at each locking station.
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This summer at Rideau Canal National Historic Site, the Jones Falls Blacksmith shop will feature an experienced and fully qualified blacksmith providing demonstrations at the on-site brick blacksmith shop. Other popular activities include: the Voyager Canoe program, with guided tours to up to 10 passengers; tours of the down town reach of the canal on a totally carbon neutral, electric boat with Ottawa Boat Cruises - this season, they are pleased to offer a new chocolate-themed tour as well as a tour that stops for dinner along the canal; and new this year luxury self-hire canal boat operations will encourage economic development, support job creation along the Rideau Canal as well as create further opportunities for visitors who do not own boats to experience the history and beauty of this UNESCO World Heritage site from the water.
Associated links
Contacts
Caroline Thériault
Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
819-938-3813
caroline.theriault2@canada.ca
Media Relations
Parks Canada Agency
855-862-1812
pc.media@pc.gc.ca