this post was submitted on 10 May 2024
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Federal gov’t sparks outrage for giving newcomers free access to Canada’s parks (torontosun.com)
submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
37 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

While many have to pay to access any of the dozens of parks across the country, there is a group that has been granted free admission.

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (3 children)

Fyi, my fiancée became a Canadian resident a few years back. When you become a new resident Canada gives you a welcome package, in this package you get a one year voucher for free visits to any national park (ie, not provincial parks).

So the closest national park to us is like 6-7 hours away. We do the drive and have no way to use this voucher, even in the one year window. To add (if I remember correctly) it was also only a voucher for a day visit, so parking...

I have a feeling like 90% of these voucher do not get used.

It reminded me of the time a handful of years ago VIA Rail did a promotion for anyone under 18-19. You would received a voucher to travel VIA rail from one side of Canada to the other. I don't remember the specifics but it was only for the train ride with unlimited stops 2-ways.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago

That's the funny part .... of all the born and bred Canadians within Canada ... how many have actually gone out to visit a National Park (either paid for or for free).

I was born and raised in northern Ontario, I'm Indigenous and I've been to lots of wilderness sites in the north on James Bay and Hudson Bay ... but I've never been to a National Park that I know of.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

It reminded me of the time a handful of years ago VIA Rail did a promotion for anyone under 18-19. You would received a voucher to travel VIA rail from one side of Canada to the other. I don’t remember the specifics but it was only for the train ride with unlimited stops 2-ways.

You're probably thinking of the Canada 150 Youth Pass.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

That's the one, thanks for finding a link.

Seems like it was 12-25 years of age and 150$ for a month of unlimited travel. It was a good deal but only available for 1 month, and i was already to old :'(

Would of been nice to use the pass and only sleep on the train as opposed to finding hotels.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Only German immigrants use them.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

You mean German Canadians.

Though they would also need to be financially sound at the time they became a full on citizen, own a car (to make us of the day pass free parking), and be able to take the time off, to actually go see these parks.

Remembering the voucher kicks in on the day of becoming a citizen and then expires exactly in exactly 1 year.

I guarantee you if someone becomes a citizen in their teens and originally immigrated on their own with no family (which happens), they would more then likely not benefit from this, and probably not even have the means to see these parks in that one year window, and make use of the free day pass voucher for free parking...