Today (April 22) is Earth Day. It is also the day the Canadian government chose to announce the upcoming launch of the My Parks Pass program. The program gives Grade 8 students a free, year-long pass to all Canadian national parks and is part of the government’s plans to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the national park system.
There are 27 national parks in Canada and 68 national historic sites. A youth with a My Parks passport can visit them all without spending a dime.
Environment Minister Jim Prentice says, "Canada’s future lies in the hands of its youth, and today, on Earth Day, our government is especially proud to place a key to the nation’s greatest treasures in those young hands."
"The ‘My Parks Pass’ will allow Grade 8 students to enter Parks Canada-administered parks and sites for free and open doors to connect their hearts and minds to places and events that embody the very essence of Canada."
The program starts on May 17. All in all, about 40,000 passports will be distributed to youth. The Canadian government is partnering with Nature Canada and the Historica-Dominion Institute.