The federal government’s introduction of the Canada Strong Pass (CSP) earlier this year has sparked discussion across Canada’s tourism and outdoor hospitality sectors.
Designed to encourage domestic travel and greater engagement with nature, the CSP offered Canadians and international visitors free access and reduced camping fees at all national parks, along with discounts on tickets to national museums and VIA Rail transportation.
While the program was positioned as a way to boost visitation and make outdoor experiences more affordable, industry stakeholders say it has produced unintended consequences for both the government and the private sector.
The federal government was required to refund partial fees for public campsites already booked at full price, while national park revenues dropped during what is typically a high-occupancy season.
Private campground operators were also affected. Despite rising operating costs, many found themselves unable to raise rates due to a newly uneven competitive landscape.
According to reports, some campers even requested the same discounts available in public parks. For operators, honoring such requests would have eroded profit margins and reduced reinvestment capacity in infrastructure, services, and staffing.
The CSP also appears to have shifted travel patterns, according to the Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia. Instead of visiting multiple destinations, some travelers stayed longer in popular national park areas to maximize the benefits of the discounted access, leading to overcrowding in certain locations.
Despite strong usage, there are currently no data showing that the program generated new demand for travel to Canada.
Moreover, most of the economic benefits were concentrated in Ontario and Quebec, where the highest concentration of national museums and VIA Rail routes are located.
Last week, the federal government announced in a pre-budget statement that the Canada Strong Pass would continue for a month over the Christmas season and again next summer.
However, no tourism sector association is known to have lobbied for its continuation, and it remains unclear whether the industry was consulted about its renewal.
Earlier this year, the Canadian Camping and RV Association (CCRVA) called for an end to the camping fee discounts in national parks and urged the federal government to study the CSP’s impacts.
The coalition also recommended creating a stakeholder working group to develop strategies that would benefit both public and private campgrounds. To date, the federal government has not responded to those requests.
The Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia (TIABC) has stated that its Policy Committee will soon determine whether to support CCRVC’s recommendations.
The association plans to consult with provincial and national partners on engaging the government in discussions about which incentives are most effective at stimulating travel during non-peak periods.
As the federal government prepares its next budget, observers expect few additional tourism-related initiatives given current fiscal constraints, aside from possible support for business events.