Ways to Make Camping at Provincial Parks Even Better

My husband and I have been camping at Provincial Parks for over 25 years now.  In fact, we have visited more than 25 different parks, some of them many times over.   We enjoy the Provincial Parks for the recreational opportunities and the natural environment they provide.  Their beaches, playgrounds, hiking trails, visitor centers, naturalist programs, and biking trails have made our summer vacations memorable and enjoyable.  But lately it has been harder to get reservations at our Park of choice, especially if it is in Southern Ontario, and especially if it is last minute. Unfortunately, while we struggle with getting campsites in Southern Ontario, 7 Provincial Parks have been closed for camping in Northern Ontario in recent years. 
Ontario has about 280 parks covering over 7 million hectares or approximately 10% of the surface area in Ontario and receives over 9 million visitors each year.  Approximately 65 parks are deemed “recreational class” and welcome campers.  I believe that the Ontario government could make the camping experience better at all parks and especially those in Northern Ontario which would increase visitors and thus revenues.

First of all, I think a two or three tier pricing structure should be implemented.  Premium Parks, such as Algonquin and The Pinery, should charge the highest fees as these parks are popular and therefore busy and have lots of amenities from playgrounds, visitor centers, recreational opportunities, and etc.  The parks in northern Ontario, especially the ones that struggle, should have reduced fees to entice campers and visitors to make the long drive to visit them.  The rest of the parks in the south and central portion of the province, closer to the majority of the population, could charge a fee somewhere in the middle.  A portion of these higher fees could help to subsidize the struggling parks.

Secondly, in order to entice more people to visit Northern Ontario, we must ensure that these parks have the same amenities as their more southerly counterparts.  Playgrounds, hiking and biking trails, and naturalist programs are all part of the experience.  My children have always enjoyed learning about the history and natural environment of the park we are visiting.  From visiting the Logging Museum in Algonquin to meeting a corn snake at Port Burwell or making a miniature birch bark canoe at Awenda we always have fun and learn something new.  Unfortunately, many of the parks in northern Ontario cannot fund these programs due to low visitation rates.   I would have loved to have learnt more about the loons who sang me to sleep and woke me up before dawn every morning at Finlayson Point and astronomy would be another great option in northern Ontario due to the lack of light pollution. 

Also, the government should also look at adding Wi-Fi to all campgrounds.  Many Northern communities lack the infrastructure we enjoy in Southern Ontario and it can be frustrating when you cannot get cell service and have to drive to the Visitor Centre for a Wi-Fi signal.  As a society we are used to being connected 24/7.  My husband owns his own business and needs to be available to his employees and customers at times, especially if we are gone for a longer period of time.  Some visitors may be able to extend their stay if they were connected.

While many people still tent, camping in trailers seems to be a popular option.  Updating current campgrounds with longer pull through sites to accommodate large trailers and recreational vehicles may attract more baby boomers to the parks.  We own a mid-sized trailer and have trouble navigating some twisty, treed park roads in the past. Sewer hookups would also entice those who stay at private campgrounds to visit.  Modern conveniences and comforts are important to baby boomers.  Perhaps we could begin adding sewer hookups to the campgrounds in Northern Ontario as another incentive to get people to visit before adding them in the south.

 If the government procured local companies to make updates to their parks, it would provide jobs for local people.  If updating parks brought in more people to the area it would also create more jobs not just at the park but in other areas of the community.  Grocery stores, restaurants, tourist attractions and etc. would all benefit from the opportunities created. Instead of shuttering these Northern campsites, the provincial and local governments should be doing more to attract visitors to the area.       


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