Parks Canada is investing in new facilities in the Waterton Townsite to handle higher visitation to the national park/Parks Canada

Canada’s national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas are important cornerstones of the country’s tourism industry. By September 2015, Parks Canada had welcomed close to 20 million visitors to parks and sites from coast to coast to coast, an increase of 5 percent over last year.

Parks Canada is preparing for another successful season by making it easier than ever to spend unforgettable time with family and friends in these special places. The agency will be making improvements to visitor infrastructure, adding more popular accommodations, and offering many exciting events and activities.

Parks Canada also realizes that more and more families plan their summer vacations well in advance. With that in mind, the agency's online campground reservation system will launch in January 2016, three months earlier than last year, making it easier for visitors to plan their trips.

The agency also is working to improve facilities to better handle visitors. For example, at Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, approximately 470,000 people experienced the spectacular lakes, legendary hikes, and majestic peaks in 2015, an increase of about 16 percent. By spring 2016, the park will have replaced two existing washrooms at the Waterton Townsite Campground with brand new facilities and will continue to invest in visitor infrastructure. Two more washrooms and outdated water and sewer lines will be replaced in fall 2016.