2017 Parks Canada Passes - Free

[Amethyst]

I ordered one a couple days ago and it said about three weeks. On the news, they said they wanted people to get the passes, so they could give them safety information, etc. as well. I assume that will come in the mail with the pass.

[Fuzz]

Ordered Dec 6th, it showed up on the 28th, I think.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by Amethyst

On the news, they said they wanted people to get the passes, so they could give them safety information, etc. as well. I assume that will come in the mail with the pass.

When I got my pass in the mail, it came with a letter talking about the 150th celebrations and a map of Canada showing all the national parks and historic sites. I don't recall there being anything about safety in it. The letter did mention the parks will be busier and encouraged us to check out some of the sights off the beaten path.

[Lubicon]

Ordered mine early to mid December and received it just before Christmas.

[Regular_John]

I'm still confused about why I'd need to order a pass at all... are they charging regular gate admissions otherwise?

[taffeyb]

I heard some Parks Canada person on the radio and it was mentioned that there is no penalty for not having a pass. It is used for tracking purposes I guess.

[Bigtime]

I ordered mine back on the 30th, it said I'd receive an email confirmation but nothing has come yet. Same deal for anyone else?

[Wormius]

Yeah. Got ours just before New Years.

There was an article though saying that there are no consequences if you don't have one and go into the parks.

http://globalnews.ca/news/3156589/pa...-dont-need-to/

he demand for the free passes literally crashed the Parks Canada website in December 2016, but one thing visitors might not know is that they actually do not need a pass to enter the parks this year.



Global News has learned park users who enter without a pass will not suffer any repercussions, however officials are still hoping people will take the time to get one.


“If they don’t come and they don’t stop either at a gate or a visitor centre or campground we get very few opportunities to interact with them. So to be able to provide safety information, wildlife information, we’re really encouraging people to drive through the gate and get a pass,” said Greg Danchuk, with Parks Canada.

[Kavvy]

This is so dumb.

Assuming I am right, tourist get in free?

Parks should be accessible for ALL Canadians, regardless of income.

Tourist on the other hand, should pay up the yin yang, driven by supply and demand.

With the crowds we get in the summer, demand is high. Charge non-Canadians a huge amount of money to visit/use our national treasures. The limit charged should be what meaningfully impacts our tourism industry.

Non-Canadians could mean non-landed immigrants/work visa's, etc.

[Kavvy]

duplicate post

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I ordered mine back on the 30th, it said I'd receive an email confirmation but nothing has come yet. Same deal for anyone else?

I received an email confirmation for the order and then it showed up a few weeks later.

[btimbit]

Ordered another just in case something went wrong with the first one

[Swift]

Originally Posted by Kavvy

This is so dumb.

Assuming I am right, tourist get in free?

Parks should be accessible for ALL Canadians, regardless of income.

Tourist on the other hand, should pay up the yin yang, driven by supply and demand.

With the crowds we get in the summer, demand is high. Charge non-Canadians a huge amount of money to visit/use our national treasures. The limit charged should be what meaningfully impacts our tourism industry.

Non-Canadians could mean non-landed immigrants/work visa's, etc.

Just order a bunch of passes and sell them to unsuspecting tourists.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Cameron Swift

Just order a bunch of passes and sell them to unsuspecting tourists.

People are attempting to do that right now on Kijiji. I think next year Parks Canada will make up for the free entry by serving lots of fines to people who forgot it wasn't free anymore.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Cameron Swift

Just order a bunch of passes and sell them to unsuspecting tourists.

This could be a Kijiji goldmine....

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Wormius

People are attempting to do that right now on Kijiji. I think next year Parks Canada will make up for the free entry by serving lots of fines to people who forgot it wasn't free anymore.

I've heard the fines are actually "voluntary payments" and if they leave you a ticket you can just toss it.

Anyone else hear that?

Sort of makes sense as I have only heard of people getting warnings or forced to buy one (myself included).

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

This could be a Kijiji goldmine....

Yeah but would you let buyers come to your house would you meet up in some parking lot somewhere?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Yeah but would you let buyers come to your house would you meet up in some parking lot somewhere?

I'd have them paypal me the money, and send it to them in the mail by signing up for a free pass online and using their address. Park Passes! Half price! And almost zero effort.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Weitz

I've heard the fines are actually "voluntary payments" and if they leave you a ticket you can just toss it.

Originally Posted by Wormius

I think next year Parks Canada will make up for the free entry by serving lots of fines to people who forgot it wasn't free anymore.

There is no fine. The ticket you get suggests you buy a pass on the way out of the park. They have no way to enforce it. It's not a traffic act violation or anything similar.

The only time I've seen it 'enforced' is when they park in front of the Sunshine or Louise access road. If you don't have a pass you're given the option to buy one on site or turn around.

It's a joke quite frankly.

[taco.vidal]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...city-1.4237395

Waterton Lakes National Park reopens after hitting capacity on Sunday
It's the first time the southern Alberta park has had to turn visitors away

By Drew Anderson, CBC News Posted: Aug 06, 2017 1:57 PM MT Last Updated: Aug 06, 2017 3:49 PM MT


Waterton Lakes National Park in southern Alberta temporarily shut its gates for the first time ever on Sunday and visitors were being turned away at the entrance by Parks Canada staff.

The park has since reopened, but could shut again if traffic levels rise.

"We will limit traffic access into the park where and when needed this season to provide the safest possible experience for our visitors, wildlife and staff," said Parks Canada in a news release.

"We are monitoring and reviewing this process and will make adjustments as necessary."

High volumes

Earlier in the day, Locke Marshall, the visitor experience manager for the park, said the park was at capacity and staff was out at the intersection of Highway 5 and Highway 6, diverting traffic.

Banff has been a zoo on a lot of weekends this summer compared to past years.
Id like to see numbers for other parks for this weekend and the summer in general.