Parks Canada is calling on Canadians to stay home and help limit the spread of COVID-19 while announcing further measures to limit activities in national parks.
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, 2020.
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:
鈥� All visitor services, including reception, information, lockage and mooring are suspended until further notice;
鈥� All visitor facilities, including parking lots, washrooms, day use areas and visitor centres are closed until further notice;
鈥� All camping facilities including backcountry camping, oTENTiks, and other roofed accommodations remain closed until further notice;
鈥� All events, group and interpretive activities are cancelled until at least May 31.
READ MORE: Parks Canada to close access to trails
Jonathan Wilkinson, minister of environment and climate change, said Parks Canada is taking these additional measures to help keep people safe.
鈥淟ike 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,鈥� Wilkinson explained.
While the agency said they look 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.
No new reservations will be accepted until at least June 1. All existing reservations set to take place prior to May 31, 2020, will be automatically cancelled and refunded in full.
B.C. Parks additionally extended the ban on all camping in provincial parks until May 31, after campgrounds and day facilities were closed March 24.
Fort 91原创 National Historic Site 鈥� 91原创鈥檚 only Parks Canada operated attraction 鈥� as well as Brae Island Regional Park fall under these temporary rules.
People are being asked to stay home and cancel any travel plans for the Victoria Day long weekend in May to limit coronavirus spreading and exposure.
Detailed information on Parks Canada places and the measures the Agency is taking to limit the spread of COVID-19 can be found at
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