'Canada Strong Pass' to offer free admission to national parks, historic sites this summer
Culture Minister Steven Guilbeault says the Canada Strong Pass will be in effect from June 20 to Sept. 2. It provides free summer admission to national parks and historic sites, discounted camping through Parks Canada, and discounts for young people at national museums and on Via Rail. (June 16, 2025)
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Ottawa Citizen
40 minutes ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Canada Day tourism season looks strong as bookings climb in Ottawa
Article content 'There's so much to do for everyone's tastes in Ottawa,' he said. Article content Article content As the director of public affairs for Ottawa Tourism, Miousse knows that Canada Day typically brings in an influx of tourists from across the country. Leading up to this year's festivities, he says he's expecting 'a lot of traction.' Article content Article content 'It should be a very good one,' he said. 'We're looking forward to it. Especially with the current context, there's a lot of Canadian pride.' Article content Article content Canadian residents returned from 2.7 million trips to the United States in March — a 24 per cent decrease from the previous year, according to Statistics Canada. Flights to the U.S. were also down by 5.5 per cent. This decrease in travel comes amidst an ongoing U.S. tariff war. Article content It's unclear whether tourism numbers will exceed record years in 2019 and Canada's 150th birthday in 2017, Miousse says, but he's optimistic so far. Article content 'We're already seeing more hotel bookings than last year,' he said, adding that Ottawa has seen 10 million tourists in the last year alone, who have generated an estimated $2.6 billion for the local economy. Article content 'It's igniting a sense of your civic pride, right, to want to visit your capital city to celebrate the national day of your country.' Article content Article content Article content Miousse says 90 per cent of Ottawa's tourists are Canadian, accounting for a 'niche market' that Ottawa tends to attract. Along with a heightened sense of Canadian pride, he cited initiatives like the Canada Strong Pass as incentives that make this year's Canada Day special. Article content Article content 'We've all seen what's happened in the world and in Canada these past few months,' he said. 'It's all about making the most of these trends, and that's our advantage here in Ottawa.' Article content 'Obviously, Canada Day is an uptick to that.'
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Quebec campsites may be closed due to strike over long weekend
Parc de la Chute-Montmorency near Quebec City may be affected by a strike of SEPAQ unionized workers. (Wiki Commons) Negotiations continue between unionized park workers and Quebec provincial park management to avoid a strike over the Fête Nationale long weekend. On Thursday, the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec (SEPAQ) asked reservation holders not to cancel their stays, adding it will contact them with any updates. SEPAQ confirmed it has received a fixed-term strike notice from its workers that would go into effect from Friday until Tuesday, should the parties fail to reach an agreement. The strike would affect the following: Quebec national parks Aquarium du Québec Parc de la Chute-Montmorency Gîte du Mont Albert Auberge de montagne des Chic-Chocs Camping des Voltigeurs Centre touristique du Lac-Simon Centre touristique du Lac-Kénogami Wildlife reserves, as well as other SEPAQ parks and the customer relations centre, are not affected by the strike. 'Discussions are ongoing with the union, and SEPAQ is hopeful that a satisfactory agreement for all parties can be reached before a walkout occurs,' the agency said in a news release. 'SEPAQ will continue to make every effort to reach a settlement before this deadline in order to maintain stays and bookings.' The union announced the strike, with disputes mainly centred around wages. Syndicat de la fonction publique et parapublique du Québec (SFPQ) President Christian Daigle pointed out that many workers earn about $17 per hour, and the vast majority of them are seasonal workers. The union says it wants a 17.4 per cent wage increase over five years, the same as all government employees. 'This has a major impact on the people we represent. When you only work four or five months a year, missing five days of work is a serious financial hit,' he said. 'It's not something they do lightly, but people are tired of being taken advantage of and not being offered a fair financial agreement by their employer and, especially, by the Quebec government.' If a strike occurs, the establishments affected will be closed, and bookings will be cancelled and refunded. However, SEPAQ said it will continue to offer the following activities: Seasonal campsites. Fishing stays at the Devlin cabins and Lac à l'Épaule lodge in Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier. Day fishing at Archambault, À l'Épaule, Lapointe, Nouvel and Ruban lakes, as well as at Rivière Sautauriski in Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier. As for certain activities offered by park partners, SEPAQ recommends checking directly with them to find out whether or not their activities will take place in event of a walkout. Bookings can be modified or cancelled here.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Visit Ottawa Passes: Here's how you can checkout 5 Ottawa attractions for $100 this summer
A family takes a photo in front of the "Ottawa" sign in the ByWard Market on Victoria Day weekend. (Camille Wilson/CTV News Ottawa) Ottawa Tourism is inviting residents and visitors to checkout museums and other attractions in the capital this summer for just $100. The Visit Ottawa Pass was announced on Friday, a pass for $100 that allows adults to choose five out of 14 top attractions and activities to visit in Ottawa this summer. There is also a special summer package that allows children ages 17 and under to enjoy the same experiences for free with the purchase of an adult pass. 'The Visit Ottawa Pass – a new initiative that builds on the success of previous passes that is designed to enhance the visitor experience and drive tourism growth across the region,' Ottawa Tourism said. The Visit Ottawa Pass will also provide additional savings at select restaurants, attractions and shops across Ottawa. According to the Ottawa Tourism website, the Visit Ottawa Pass is valid for a single admission to five attractions and experiences, is valid for 72 hours after the first use and must be used on three consecutive days within 60 days from the date of purchase. 'There truly is no better time to visit Ottawa than the summer of 2025, with the myriad of free experiences for kids on offer through both passes, making Ottawa more affordable, value-driven, and responsive to the heightened interest in Canadian identity than ever before,' Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism, said in a statement. 'Ottawa's visitor economy is entering a new era of growth and opportunity. With strong leadership, a clear vision, and the support of our members and partners, we're well-positioned to grow our impact by attracting major events and marketing our destination to more potential visitors in 2025.' The Visit Ottawa Pass will complement the Canada Strong Pass, which will offer free access to Ottawa's seven national museums for youth ages 17 and under. Youth ages 18 to 24 can get 50 per cent off admission fees at the seven national museums in Ottawa. Here is the list of participating attractions and tours for the Visit Ottawa Pass. Bytown Museum Canada Agriculture and Food Museum Canada Aviation and Space Museum Canada Science and Technology Museum Canadian Museum of History Canadian Museum of Nature Canadian War Museum National Gallery of Canada Parc Omega Royal Canadian Mint (free tour) The Haunted Walk/Hidden InSite City Tours Water Taxi Eh – Unlimited day use of the water taxi that travels between Ontario and Quebec BeaverTails ByWard Market – Choose from one of three iconic BeaverTails pastry flavours Zack's Diner – receive a free milkshake The Visit Ottawa Pass also unlocks deals and discounts at attractions, restaurants and experiences. Some of the offers include:
