backcountry

A summer job doesn’t have to mean being cooped up indoors or missing out on the best warm-weather activities. If you love to spend time in nature, consider applying for a role at one of Ontario’s provincial parks, which hire many students in the summer months—plus, there’s full-time and part-time positions too.

You can select up to 10 parks to apply to, as each park needs people to fill each position. If you’re living at home, select local parks. But for an adventure this summer, select parks with staff accommodations. You’ll get access to shared living spaces and get to immerse yourself in park life.

Here are some cool Ontario Parks jobs to check out if you’re on the hunt for the upcoming season. The deadline to apply is May 16, 2023.

Student jobs

Discovery ranger

If you have memories of camping as a kid and attending an interactive talk or guided hike, the person leading it was likely a discovery ranger. Described as park storytellers, a discovery ranger runs programs that help visitors explore the nature around them and get to know the unique ecological environment. There’s also a conservation aspect to this role, where rangers help identify species that are at risk and develop programs to address them.

Interior ranger

If you’re an experienced outdoors explorer, this job is definitely one to check out. Some aspects are similar to a discovery ranger, but you’ll mainly be in the backcountry on multi-day expeditions, making sure trails are clear by removing garbage, trees and brush, and so on. It’s a physically demanding job but certainly rewarding for those who love the untouched backcountry. This job is more common at parks with a wide swath of available backcountry trips and portaging, such as Algonquin, French River, Frontenac, and Murphy’s Point.

Trail maintenance

Another physically demanding but great job for avid hikers, this role involves the upkeep of a park’s trail network, including beginner, advanced, and portage routes. You’ll get to know beautiful hiking routes, and help prevent environmental degradation by ensuring visitors can stay on a clear route, so they don’t disturb the surrounding area.

View all student jobs here

Full-time roles

Park Warden

One of the most vital roles at Ontario Parks, a Park Warden helps with everything from everyday maintenance to park safety, visitor experience, and more. The Park Warden is the public-facing representative of the park, who helps strike a balance between protecting the natural environment and ensuring visitors enjoy their time to the fullest.

Park Interpreter

Similar to the summer student role of discovery ranger, a park interpreter is a more permanent fixture in Ontario’s Parks, with wide-ranging duties that include providing guided hikes, interactive sessions, historical re-enactments, special events, and children’s programming. It’s also great for people looking for a creative outlet, as it may involve acting and musical skills to create engaging programs for all ages.

View all full-time roles here

A voice from the wilderness

Get The Great Outdoors, our biweekly brief on all things nature

Avid campers are used to gearing up in January to book their favourite sites in our national parks—but that wasn’t the case this year, as Parks Canada completed a major revamp of their camping reservation system. The new platform went live on March 13, and some parks are officially open for bookings; others will continue to open throughout the month. Here’s what you need to know about the new system and how to reserve a campsite.

You need to make a new online account prior to booking

This is the crucial first step for everyone, regardless of whether you had an existing Parks Canada account. Make note of your username and password, and make sure your browser is compatible and running the site smoothly.

Different parks have different booking or “launch” dates—make sure to identify the one you want.

While March 13 was technically launch day for the new camping reservation platform, parks have varying dates for when reservations open, ranging from now until April 3. In Ontario, for example, all six national parks open their bookings on March 21. Also, note that some parks have different dates for front-country camping versus backcountry or hiking trips.

Here are a few opening dates for a few of the top parks across the country:

Banff National Park—Thursday, March 23
*Some booking dates for backcountry campsites, backcountry hikes, and shuttles within the park are different (March 22, March 29, and April 13, respectively). Read through the whole section to be sure of the one that applies to you.

Jasper National Park – Thursday, March 16

Gros Morne National Park – Friday, March 31

Cape Breton Highlands National Park – Saturday, March 18

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve – *Open as of Monday, March 13

Have your trip details ready

While some features will be familiar if you’ve booked campsite reservations through Parks Canada before, it’s helpful to have a refresher on what some key terms mean so you know which details to fill in.

You should have a general idea of the trip you’d like to do, as you’ll be asked what campsite you’re looking to reserve, the “reservable period” (the time frame of your trip, and the period that campsite is actually available), and the “operating season.” Some parks or campsites may be open for fall camping, for example, and others might not.

If you log in before bookings open, you’ll be directed to a waiting screen—when your turn comes up, you have 30 minutes to book

Remember that you’re not allowed into the booking system based on how early you logged in; it’s randomized. The goal is to have all of your trip details ready to go, so you can get the booking done quickly but also be ready to shift if necessary. While the new camping reservation system is meant to make things more streamlined, spots will still book up quickly.

Be prepared to be flexible

Look at a “site calendar” to see when a site is available. Remember that cancellations happen as the months go on; check back often, and know that not all campsites and parks are technically on a first-come, first-serve basis.

A voice from the wilderness

Get The Great Outdoors, our biweekly brief on all things nature