Everyone will get a chance to explore Ontario Parks for free this Friday.
All provincial parks are celebrating Healthy Parks Healthy People Day. Parks Ontario is offering free daily vehicle permits for July 15th. They say their parks will be very busy that day, so they are urging people to book online.
The event runs until 10 PM. While it’s free to enter the parks, additional charges for other activities like camping and equipment rentals may still apply.
“The time to strengthen and rediscover our connection to nature is now,” officials say. “Ontario’s provincial parks are home to some of the most inspiring and beautiful landscapes in the country. We want to increase the awareness and uptake of the strong benefits linked to spending time in nature.”
In Algonquin Park, a number of events are going on that day, including free canoe, kayak and paddleboard rentals, interactive art shows and trivia. There will also be Bear Wise training at select campgrounds to allow park-goers to learn how to make their campsite safe from bears.
Ontario Parks is also offering events at select parks across the province. A list of what parks are available is on its website.
With files from Trevor Smith-Millar