News release

Provincial-Park Camping Fees Increased

Natural Resources (to July 2018)

Nova Scotia is increasing camping fees at provincially operated parks for the first time in five years.

It has been made necessary because of higher operating costs and the need for park improvements throughout the system.

“Nova Scotia provincial parks provide superb recreational, social, heritage and cultural value for visitors,” said Natural Resources Minister Ernest Fage. “Certain costs are associated with maintaining the parks to the standards that visitors have come to expect. We believe visitors will be more than satisfied with the return value they receive for the fee increase.”

The new fees will bring the province in line with other jurisdictions and will be more comparable with fees at private- sector campgrounds.

Since 1996, fees at provincially operated campgrounds had been $10 for unserviced sites and $14 for semi-serviced sites. For the current season, all provincial parks will charge $14 per night for unserviced sites and $18 for semi-serviced sites.

The daily entry and season-pass fees for Cape Chignecto Provincial Park have also been increased. Cape Chignecto has higher operating and maintenance costs due to the rugged wilderness nature of the back-country campsites.

The fees for this park now are in line with fees at Kejimkujik National Park for back-country sites. In addition, new facilities such as cabins and bunkhouses are now being offered at the park. The daily entry is being increased to $3 from $2, the season-pass fee to $15 from $10.

Further fee revisions include expanding the Seniors Discount to cover all senior citizens, regardless of their residency. The five-day discount is being eliminated, as the benefits of offering such a discount are difficult to measure and it greatly complicates campground registration.

Many provincial parks open May 18; others will open June 8. Reservations can be made at all parks by directly calling the provincial park of your choice.

For more information on specific parks, please contact your local department of Natural Resources office, or visit the Web site at parks.gov.ns.ca .