Happy Parks Day!

July 19, 2010

Today is Canada’s Parks day an opportunity to get out and celebrate our great Canadian Parks.  This year also happens to be the 125th anniversary for Parks Canada.   In recognition of the day, Parks Canada has introduced a new Parks Canada Discovery Pass.

As part of today’s Parks Day celebrations, the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced the launch of the new Parks Canada Discovery Pass, which gives access to Parks Canada’s national system of heritage places, at a special new price.

“Our Government reduced the price of the Parks Canada Discovery Pass in order to provide Canadians with a more affordable way to enjoy Parks Canada places,” said Minister Prentice. “Now a family can have unlimited access to all of Parks Canada’s national parks and national historic sites for less than $140 a year. This has to be one of Canada’s best tourism values!”

Parks Canada manages a network of 42 national parks, 167 national historic sites and four national marine conservation areas. The new Parks Canada Discovery Pass provides unlimited opportunities to enjoy Canada’s 27 world-renown national parks and the 77 national historic sites administered by Parks Canada that charge entry fees. The Parks Canada Discovery Pass is priced 20% lower than the previous pass option.

In recognition of the 125th anniversary of Canada’s first national park, the Parks Canada Discovery pass features an historic photo of Lake Louise in Banff National Park, which was established 1885.

“Parks Canada has also frozen its entry fees, as well as fees for camping at national parks, lockage and mooring at historic canals and several other national fees for basic services,” added Minister Prentice. “This price freeze makes some of Canada’s major tourism destinations more affordable to the millions of Canadians and internal visitors who visit our national parks and national historic sites every year which consequently also supports the Canadian tourism industry and local economies.”

For additional information on the Parks Canada Discovery Pass, the fee freeze or the 125th anniversary celebrations please visit http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/index.aspx

Congratulations to Parks Canada on a job well done. To learn more about what is going on in your area please visit http://www.parksday.ca/eng/canadamap.html