Alberta's new camping reservation system opens today. Here's what you need to know
Starting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Albertans can book regular camping sites for the next three months.
Tuesday marks the launch of Alberta Parks' new year-round reservation system that will feature a rolling window of open bookings.
Campers can now book regular sites up to 90 days in advance, and comfort and group sites 180 days in advance, so long as they are open.
"We've had a 167 per cent increase in total reservations over the last two years, and that demand has put a strain and pressure on our existing reservation system," Michael Roycroft, Alberta Parks' Kananaskis regional director, told CTV News Edmonton.
"This year-round service, that will even out the usage of the system and it will give folks an opportunity to plan and book throughout the year, not just traditionally in February, when the system has historically opened."
It's not the only change Alberta Parks is making: the maximum number of consecutive nights that can be reserved at once is being reduced from 16 to 10. Multiple bookings will be needed to stay at a site longer than 10 days.
Roycroft said the department was seeing up to 50 per cent of those large bookings being changed or cancelled last minute, preventing other campers from using the site.
Alberta Parks believes the new rule will reduce the amount that happens.
"We're hoping that change will allow for a greater and more equitable access to the system," Roycroft added.
'THE NEW NORM'
Previously, Alberta Parks opened bookings in February through the fall. That method also meant back and front-country sites still open in the winter were available on a first-come, first-served basis.
"This is the trend that we're seeing across North America," Roycroft commented, pointing to Ontario and the U.S. "We anticipate it will be the new norm. It will take a bit for folks to get used to but over time we think it will serve Albertans better."
He added, "Once certain campgrounds open, I think we'll start to see a pick up of usage, and certainly the 90-day period prior to the long weekend in May, I'm sure we'll see a jump in increased usage there as well. But overall, it should streamline the overall demand on the system."
Under the new system, on Tuesday, Albertans can book regular sites that are open on April 11, and comfort and group sites that are open on July 11.
The booking window will advance by one day each morning at 9 a.m.
More information is available online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.