Free Entry - Canada Parks 150th Anniversary

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I got's mine too! I'm planning to hit Georgian Bay as a start. ---- >
The home of the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake: Ontario's only venomous species, these are small snakes (to about 70 cm) with large dark blotches down the back and smaller blotches on the sides. Dunno - what are the chances?

 

Here is my opinion, for what it is worth. Of the people that received the free passes 15% of them will never use them. I think most of them mean well and dream or plan on going, but never make it. The other 85 percent, I think 70% of them would have purchased passes anyhow. The other 30% of that 85% percent ( getting confusing now ain't it) will maybe make one trip to the parks. These are just my theories of course. So the parks may have a 10 to 15% increase of visitation.

Now I think it was a great financial move for Canada to do this and here are my thoughts why. There will be an increase in sales of outdoor goods such as tents, hiking shoes, trekking poles, outdoor clothing, fishing gear, canoes and etc. Not all of these items are ever going to get used, but this will generate more tax revenue, and not to mention the increase business for hotels, restaurants and other local businesses which may result in more jobs.

I remember when a topic came up about a city giving tax money to a privately owned business to help with the cost of a football stadium construction. I didn't like it because I figured they were a private business and they were going to charge a lot of money for a game ticket and tax payers won't be able to go for free or even a discounted price. But what this did do on a game weekend was, filled up hotels, restaurants, malls, and all kinds of local merchants profited along with tax money collected.

I'll bet the Canadian government is going to track this very closely to determine whether is was a good trade off between the loss of money from the sales of park admission versus the up swing of the economy. This may increase park jobs, wildlife programs and the overall liveliness and sustainability of your parks. Here in the states I always worry that, because of greed, private business will get their foot in the door and get the opportunity to strip our national parks of their natural resources for their profit.

I say Kodos to Canada! You all may have started a benificial model for all.

 

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....the reality is that highway 60 has done considerable damage to Algonquin Park - well documented and proven. But it is true we have magnificent lands that startle and mesmerize people from heavily populated areas of Europe and England. To think...you can travel for days across the beautiful lakes without seeing anyone or putting up with human noise. Luvs it!

 

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Funny that you should say that - I was sort of thinking the same. BUT, this Nation has done some remarkable things and has awed the world.

 

This is what I feared would happen

 

Have fun with this one ------------------ >

...our public land is called Crown Land. Crown land, also known as royal domain or demesne, is a territorial area belonging to the monarch, who personifies the Crown. It is the equivalent of an entailed estate and passes with the monarchy, being inseparable from it. Today, in Commonwealth realms such as Canada and Australia, crown land is considered public land and is apart from the monarch's private estate.