While the U.S. is celebrating a century of the National Park Service this year, Canada has an anniversary of its own coming up, and its parks and visitors are set to benefit during the country’s 150th anniversary in 2017.

In the 2016 budget presented March 22, more than $140 million is devoted to developing new national parks and marine protected areas, providing free admission to all visitors to Parks Canada sites in 2017, and expanding cultural heritage opportunities. Parks will get an additional boost from up to $191 million allocated to road and trail improvements.

“Our national parks are the most beautiful places on Earth,” Finance Minister Bill Morneau said Tuesday during his budget speech to the House of Commons in Ottawa. “From Cape Breton to Gwaii Haanas, from Kluane to Point Pelee, we will invest in them as our gift to ourselves and the world on the occasion of Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017.”

In addressing national parks, the budget grants:

• $42.4 million to the Parks Canada Agency and Natural Resources Canada to continue work on developing new national parks and national marine conservation areas, including the Lancaster Sound National Marine Conservation Area, Nunavut, and Thaidene Nene National Park, Northwest Territories;

• Up to $83.3 million to Parks Canada to provide free admission for all visitors to national parks, national marine conservation areas and national historic sites operated by the agency in 2017, the 150th anniversary of Confederation, and to provide free admission for all children under 18 years of age, beginning in 2018; and

• $16.6 million to Parks Canada to expand the Learn to Camp program, develop new programming to tell Canada’s stories, and encourage indigenous storytelling and eco-tourism opportunities.

Separately, infrastructure projects to support tourism include:

• $85.9 million to twin part of the Trans-Canada Highway through Yoho National Park in British Columbia;

• $21.6 million to pave highways through Wood Buffalo National Park in the Northwest Territories;

• $65.9 million for a new biking and walking trail in Jasper National Park in Alberta; and

• $17.7 million to build a new biking and walking trail in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve in British Columbia.

The budget was received enthusiastically by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.

“The government has clearly recognized the need to make substantial investments in the conservation of special areas on land and in the ocean,” Éric Hébert-Daly, the national executive director of CPAWS, said in a release.

The expansion of marine reserves was welcome news to Sabine Jessen, the group’s national ocean program director.

“We are pleased to see the recommitment to achieving the marine protected area targets of 5 percent by 2017 and at least 10 percent by 2020,” Jessen said. “The funding in this budget is a first step toward achieving these targets, and is critically needed given that Canada is currently lagging many countries in the world with less than 1 percent of our ocean territory protected.”

Back on land, an RV advocacy group applauded the allocations toward the Learn to Camp program and road improvements.

“Investing in this infrastructure will play a critical role in the overall contributions of the tourism industry to future economic development and prosperity,” Eleonore Hamm, president of the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of Canada, said in a release. “Moreover, upgrades in infrastructure are essential if we want to be able to ensure the future of this industry and make it more accessible to all Canadians.”

Recently, Parks Canada also has announced investments in Banff and Waterton Lakes national parks.