If you were hoping to head to Kootenay, Yoho, Glacier, Jasper, Banff, Waterton or any other national park to camp for the May long weekend, that’s not going to happen.
Parks Canada is suspending all camping, group activities, and events right across the country until at least May 31st.
The move is in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The federal agency is calling on all Canadians to simply stay home.
The decision to suspend those activities includes all national parks, national historic sites, heritage canals, and national marine conservation areas.
Parks Canada says it will not be taking any new reservations until June 1st at the earliest and any reservations already made until the end of May will be cancelled and refunded in full.
Canadians should be aware that any resumption of services by Parks Canada, whenever that happens, will take time or be at best, incremental in nature.
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, 2020;
- Parks Canada will not be taking new reservations until at least June 1, 2020. All existing reservations set to take place prior to May 31, 2020, will be automatically cancelled and refunded in full.
*** With files from Pat Siedlecki ***