Entry fees for Banff National Park

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by GGG

Going east there is for sure an info center in field as well i think there is a pull out booth along the highway at the start of yoho.

That booth is boarded up... I don't think you can get it there anymore.

[Northendzone]

Too bad parks Canada does not do some kind of online app where you could pay with your CC and enter your license plate, sot of like the city's system.

[Kswiss]

I have a question, if I am staying at a hotel and just staying in the city (not driving) and just park at the hotel for the full day, would I have to pay the fee? (kind of a parks canada/hotel deal thing?)

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Kswiss

I have a question, if I am staying at a hotel and just staying in the city (not driving) and just park at the hotel for the full day, would I have to pay the fee? (kind of a parks canada/hotel deal thing?)

Yes

[Eric Vail]

Originally Posted by GGG

Going east there is for sure an info center in field as well i think there is a pull out booth along the highway at the start of yoho.

If you are actually using the park you should pay though even if you can go for free and not get caught as the parks are underfunded and the fee is reasonable.

If I am driving from Radium to Calgary and I want to stop in Banff to get gas or grab a bite in a restaurant, I don't think a $20 park fee is reasonable.

[Ace]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

I have a buddy living in Canmore who said there is an understanding with the businesses not to ticket those in the townsite. Whether or not that is true, I have no idea.

Well it is definitely true in the same way that they have an understanding with businesses in Calgary not to ticket those in the city... The Canmore townsite is not inside the national park.

Edit: Nevermind...I assume you mean going into Banff Townsite

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

If I am driving from Radium to Calgary and I want to stop in Banff to get gas or grab a bite in a restaurant, I don't think a $20 park fee is reasonable.

The problem becomes the park fee also allows you to park for free in Banff and pays for the roads you are driving on.

I agree $20 is steep especially when they seem to never ticket anyone.

A fee without enforcement is almost useless.

[ken0042]

^^ The other thing is- how do they get you to prove you only stopped for an hour; as opposed to a day trip to Banff? Canmore is only 25 km from Banff, and has plently of restaurants and gas stations.

I get what you are saying, but where is the line? I think they currently allow you to get gas, now a meal. What if your kids want to also hit the candy store? As mentioned the fees also cover the costs of parking; and on weekends the town can be quite busy.

[Eric Vail]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

The problem becomes the park fee also allows you to park for free in Banff and pays for the roads you are driving on.

I agree $20 is steep especially when they seem to never ticket anyone.

A fee without enforcement is almost useless.

I think my tax dollars pay for the roads as well. I can drive and park in Radium and Canmore and most other places without paying a $20 fee. It seems an unreasonable fee to pay in Banff, if all you are doing is accessing a restaurant or a gas station.

I say this after someone posted that we should all pay our fees as they are reasonable. Perhaps they are reasonable for a day skiing, a weekend camping, or a day hiking, but for a meal and re-fuel, $20 is unreasonable.

[Superfraggle]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

I think my tax dollars pay for the roads as well. I can drive and park in Radium and Canmore and most other places without paying a $20 fee. It seems an unreasonable fee to pay in Banff, if all you are doing is accessing a restaurant or a gas station.

I say this after someone posted that we should all pay our fees as they are reasonable. Perhaps they are reasonable for a day skiing, a weekend camping, or a day hiking, but for a meal and re-fuel, $20 is unreasonable.

There is no way for them to differentiate like that. Everyone who got a ticket would say they were just stopping for a bite, or some gas, or a 10 minute break. Just go the extra 20 minutes to Canmore if you don't like the fees. Banff is too crowded as it is.

[Eric Vail]

Originally Posted by Superfraggle

There is no way for them to differentiate like that. Everyone who got a ticket would say they were just stopping for a bite, or some gas, or a 10 minute break. Just go the extra 20 minutes to Canmore if you don't like the fees. Banff is too crowded as it is.

Now that I understand the penalty system better, I will be stopping in Banff more frequently on my way through. It gives some more variety than what is offered in Canmore. I am sure the businesses will appreciate it.

[Northendzone]

stopping in banff is a major PITA, you need to get off of the TC for a couple of km's, to get to the townsite, battle traffic and then find a spot to park, and then go in to eat.

Far easier to stop in Canmore (Mcd's/A&W on the side of the road) - or wait until Radium or Golden.......

Like most, I hate paying fees, but when they go to support the park, it is a little more palatable.

[sevenarms]

Buy a pass, use the parks, you won't regret it.

[zztim81]

My Wife and I used to work for Parks Canada in Waterton, and still live not far away, we buy our passes annually in March or April as there is an unadvertised "local" discount until May 1st of about 25 dollars. With that, you can take you second vehicle registration in and get the second pass as mentioned. we usually share them with friends and family when they come to visit and are well worth it. If we or family dont remember the passes there is no limit in Waterton atleast to the number of times you can get reimbursed if you take your receipts back with the pass.

As far as i still know, the pass gates in Waterton and im guessing other parks still.. you can swipe anything with a barcode, old pass, cigarette package whatever, and the gate arm will open! We never once gave out tickets in Waterton for someone who didnt have a pass.

Oh, and as for paying for roads or visitor experience with park fees... this is complete BS, park revene goes directly into General Revenue with the Federal Government and is not tied to budgets or operational expenses in any National Park. And over the last 10 years depending on the Minister or Government of the Day, the pendulum swings back and forth between Maintaining Ecological Integrity and Visitor Services, and the reality is nothing is getting done or maintained either way.

[puckluck2]

Just got back from a day trip to Banff, as usual I didn't pay and nothing happened.

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by Iginla

Just got back from a day trip to Banff, as usual I didn't pay and nothing happened.

You must be proud.

[sevenarms]

Originally Posted by Iginla

Just got back from a day trip to Banff, as usual I didn't pay and nothing happened.

Way to stick it to the man!

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by Iginla

Just got back from a day trip to Banff, as usual I didn't pay and nothing happened.

the government will make the the money from some other source........

and in unrelated news, the basic personal tax exemption for 2013 will decrease several % points.....

[longsuffering]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

the government will make the the money from some other source........

and in unrelated news, the basic personal tax exemption for 2013 will decrease several % points.....

Do you ever read the news? Harper's gutted Parks Canada in his ominbus budget.

In 2014, Parks Canada will receive $29-million less from federal coffers than it did last year. Some parks will be open for shorter seasons and more than 600 staff will lose their jobs. Many of those who have received notices are scientists.

“When it comes to science capacity, it isn’t that there is duplication or waste,” Mr. Hébert-Daly said. “If you’re cutting it by 30 per cent, you are cutting the actual science by 30 per cent. And what that means is more species will go extinct without us knowing about it. It means that more and more parks are going to get threatened by all sorts of dangers that we aren’t able to measure.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle4409268/

[Max Cow Disease]

I was camping in the park the past couple days, and I always pay the pesky fee. I dislike funnelling dollars to governments as much as anybody, but national parks touch a soft spot with me. Regardless of the presiding body, the money to maintain these habitats/environments and the staff who do so has to come from somewhere, so despite the many characteristic governmental inefficiencies that surely exist, I have no problem paying.

Such beautiful territory and wildlife out there, and it's cool to see folks from all over the world in awe of it on a regular basis.