OTTAWA — The federal environment minister says Canadians who have campground reservations in some national parks will be allowed to pitch their tents and pull in their trailers starting next week.
Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says camping will be allowed as early as Monday at many parks.
He says the campgrounds will initially only be available to visitors with existing reservations.
All national parks, historic sites and marine conservation areas were closed at the end of March to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Many of the parks have been opened to day-use visitors since early June, but officials had said there would be no camping before June 21.
Due to restrictions on international travel, Wilkinson says staff will be cancelling reservations from international visitors — including those from the United States — until at least Aug. 7.
Here is a list of parks that are opening their campgrounds:
Newfoundland and Labrador:
— Terra Nova National Park
_ Gros Morne National Park
Nova Scotia:
_ Cape Breton Highlands National Park
— Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site
Prince Edward Island:
— Prince Edward Island National Park
New Brunswick:
— Kouchibouguac National Park
— Fundy National Park
Quebec:
— Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
— Forillon National Park
— La Mauricie National Park
Ontario:
— Thousand Islands National Park
— Bruce Peninsula National Park & Flowerpot Island (Fathom Five National Marine Park)
— Point Pelee National Park
— Pukaskwa National Park
Manitoba:
— Riding Mountain National Park
Saskatchewan:
— Prince Albert National Park
— Grasslands National Park
Alberta:
— Elk Island National Park
— Waterton Lakes National Park
— Banff National Park, including Lake Louise
— Jasper National Park
— Wood Buffalo National Park
British Columbia:
— Kootenay National Park
— Yoho National Park
— Glacier National Park
— Mount Revelstoke National Park
— Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
— Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Northwest Territories:
— Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve
— Wood Buffalo National Park
— Nahanni National Park Reserve
Yukon:
— Kluane National Park and Reserve
Source: Parks Canada
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 17, 2020