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Cottage Life

5 jobs you can get with Ontario Parks this summer

Photo by Ontario Parks, Facebook

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

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Parks Canada launches new camping reservation system

Songquan Deng/Shutterstock

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.

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Where to go for barrier-free and accessible camping in Ontario

Photo by Roman Zaiets/Shutterstock

At least 76 of Ontario’s 110 provincial parks offer at least one accessible campsite—and many have two or more, alongside other features to make an outdoor experience barrier-free. While accessible camping may look different for everyone, Ontario Parks considers a barrier-free campsite to have level ground (to and from the site), a nearby water source and/or comfort station, a 25-cm high campfire pit, a level parking spot, and an accessible picnic table.

If you don’t have a tent or can’t use one, there are a number of accessible roofed accommodations at various parks with level ground or ramps around them. Many parks are looking to be more inclusive—such as main offices, entrance booths, and activity centres—by changing or removing existing barriers. Though there are many parks for accessible camping, these specific places have features to keep on your radar:

Finlayson Point Provincial Park near Temagami

Accessible campsite and cabin

We highlighted Finlayson in a recent piece about hidden gem parks throughout the province. In addition to being a beautiful, quieter option in Northern Ontario (it’s about two hours from Sudbury), Finlayson offers an accessible campsite and roofed accommodation with the rustic Temagami Fire Cabin.

Windy Lake Provincial Park near Sudbury 

Two accessible campsites, accessible yurt

Yurts are a unique way to have an accessible camping experience while still being sheltered from the elements, and Windy Lake offers an option in addition to its two campsites. If you’re visiting for the day, one of the accessible day-use areas also has a private rental section so that you can secure your spot.

Pinery Provincial Park near Grand Bend 

Four accessible campsites, two accessible yurts 

Pinery is an excellent all-around choice for an accessible outdoor trip, with four barrier-free campsites and two barrier-free yurts. The park’s visitor centre, outdoor theatre, equipment rental building, and canoe dock are also accessible, in addition to a few beautiful trails.

MacGregor Point Provincial Park near Port Elgin

Two accessible campsites, accessible yurt

This underrated park near the lovely community of Port Elgin has an accessible yurt and two sites in its Algonquin Campground. The comfort stations, visitor’s centre, and the popular Huron Fringe Trail are also barrier-free.

Bonnechere Provincial Park near Killaloe 

Accessible campsite

A gem in the Ottawa Valley, Bonnechere may only have one accessible campsite but almost every structure and feature—from the park office to each picnic table—is accessible and wheelchair friendly. 

Awenda Provincial Park near Midland

Six accessible campsites

Each one of the campgrounds at Awenda has a barrier-free site, leaving six great options for accessible camping. All comfort stations and stand-alone washrooms are accessible, as is the park’s amphitheatre (where they run great summer interpretive programs). 

Bronte Creek Provincial Park near Oakville

Two accessible campsites

An easy-to-get-to option in the GTA, Bronte Creek has two barrier-free sites available, and all of their washroom facilities are accessible, as is the popular Maiden’s Blush trail, which is incredibly gorgeous when the fall colours hit. 

Algonquin Provincial Park 

Five accessible campsites

As one of the province’s biggest and most popular parks, it’s always a good idea to check out Algonquin as an option for any outdoor adventure. Five of its campgrounds have accessible sites and adjacent washroom facilities. The Logging Museum and East Beach Pavillion also have accessible washrooms. 

Looking for more information on barrier-free access to the outdoors? Check out these accessible hiking trails. 

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Algonquin Park’s Portage Store is changing ownership after 47 years

Photo Courtesy of The Portage Store/Facebook

December 31 marked the final day of the Miglin family’s tenure as the Portage Store operators. The store, all dark-painted wood with colourful canoes and kayaks stacked next to it, stretches along the shore of Canoe Lake, an access point in the southwest end of Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park.

Sven Miglin and his wife Donna have operated the canoe and kayak rental store since 1975. It’s a family business, Miglin, 71, explains. His daughter and son-in-law became operating partners 10 years ago. But in late December, Miglin got some bad news. Ontario Parks, which owns the building, would not be renewing the family’s contract.

“I’ve got 47 years worth of history,” Miglin says. “My kids were partners in the company and now they’re looking for jobs. It’s pretty stressful.”

Founded in 1937, the Portage Store, which is located on provincial park land, falls under the jurisdiction of Ontario Parks, meaning it owns the land and building. The Miglins were stewards, paying rent to the government agency—approximately half a million dollars annually—and sharing a fixed percentage of sales—the store produced a ballpark revenue of $3 million a year.

“They’re the landlord. And they were responsible for the building,” Miglin says.

The Portage Store contract is awarded every 10 years. When the contract expires, it’s opened to the public to submit bids. Despite nearly five decades of experience, this year, the Miglins lost.

5 portaging trips in Algonquin Park for the adventure-seeker

“It’s not just put one number down. We’re into the hundreds of pages,” Miglin says of the bidding process. “They ask all sorts of questions. And the problem today is that the evaluation now is done in secrecy. I mean, the day after I put in my bid, they refused to tell anybody, including me, how many bids went in. They don’t want anybody else to know anything about how they made their decision. For anybody that lost, you say, why not me? I mean, what was the rationale? It’s like playing a hockey game and not knowing what the score is. I can’t tell you how many goals we got and who you played, but they beat you.”

In an email, Ontario Parks said that when assessing the bids it looked at how an individual would meet certain required deliverables, as well as how much revenue would be returned to the agency. Three ministry staff evaluated and scored the bidders’ answers and then used a weighted formula to determine the highest-ranking bidder.

Here’s how to snag an Ontario campsite in 2023

On January 24, Algonquin Outfitters, which operates three locations within the park and several locations in nearby towns, announced that it had been awarded the Portage Store contract.

“The opportunity to improve and enhance the visitor experience in Algonquin Park has always been our focus. Some of our initiatives include education and raising awareness in important areas such as Indigenous culture, canoe and camping ethics, and respect for Algonquin’s wildlife and natural spaces. This will help us embrace, preserve, and share the unique history and experiences of Canoe Lake and the Portage Store,” the company said on Instagram.

Despite the formulaic nature of the bidding process, Miglin admits he’s confused by Ontario Parks’ choice. “Algonquin Outfitters now owns every concession in the park. I had those concessions back in the ’80s and Ontario Parks took them away from me because they said monopolies are terrible. So why would it have changed?” he says.

Moving forward, Miglin is looking at retirement, but his daughter and son-in-law are still weighing their options. “They could run something very similar in the area,” Miglin says. “We’re experts in what we do.” Or maybe they’ll try something new. “In other words, they don’t know.”

Land buyout in Rondeau Provincial Park turned down by government

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Ontario Parks to restrict campsite bookings next summer

Photo by Bastian Sander/Shutterstock

Campsites in Ontario have become hot commodities, especially since the pandemic sent city dwellers scrambling for the outdoors. To accommodate the influx of campers, Ontario Parks has announced that it will be limiting the number of nights an individual can book a campsite at its provincial parks during summer months.

Previously, campers were able to book sites for a maximum of 23 days, but starting in 2023, Ontario Parks will limit the maximum stay in its more popular destinations to seven or 14 nights, depending on the park.

The limited stay will be in effect from July 1 to the Saturday of the Labour Day long weekend, and does not pertain to backcountry camping or roofed accommodations, only campground campsites.

The government agency says its goal is to provide more people with access to summer campsites, especially as interest grows. In 2014, Ontario Parks recorded 4.3 million camper nights. In 2021, that number grew to 6.6 million camper nights. This initiative will provide more booking dates, accommodating a greater diversity of campers.

“I’m really glad they made that decision because it’s going to make it easier for a lot of people to get campsites,” says Michele Craig, a camper who books sites four to five times each summer.

Some of Craig’s favourite parks include Algonquin, Arrowhead, and Grundy Lake, but she’s struggled in the past to book sites. In 2019, Craig booked a campsite in Bon Echo, but hasn’t managed to get one since. “That one’s very hard to get into,” she says.

By limiting the number of nights people can stay, Craig says she also hopes it puts an end to people overbooking. “You can start your booking five months before your arrival date,” she says. “So, people would book the whole 23 days when they only wanted the week at the end. And then they would start reducing their reservation.”

This way, people have a guaranteed three-week block, giving them more choice over which days they want to camp. But it also prevents others from booking those days. Craig says she found that it’s easier to book a campsite three to four months before her arrival date when the individuals who book the three-week blocks cancel the days they don’t want.

Sometimes—to avoid the cancellation fee, which can be as much as 50 per cent of the campsite’s total fee—these individuals resell the dates on other sites, such as Facebook. This way, the individual only has to pay the transfer fee, which is $7.52, Craig says. This also prevents the dates from going back into the system and being fairly distributed among everyone.

Craig says she does feel bad for the people who do stay for the full 23 days, especially those who use it as their summer vacation. “But unfortunately, that’s the game that has been played,” she says, “and I’m glad [Ontario Parks] is taking action.”

In a discussion on the Algonquin Parks Facebook page, one user, who’s supportive of the change, points out that prior to July 1 and after Labour Day, 23-day bookings are still allowed. “Learned to love camping in September/October, [because] I could never get a site earlier than that. I do book 3 weeks, but I actually stay 3 weeks,” the post says. Plus, the nightly limit only applies to certain Ontario Parks.

“I’m feeling positive about the change,” Craig says. “And I know that the reason is just that our parks are so beautiful and popular, and it’s not hard to see why.”

Maximum 7-night stay

  • Algonquin
  • Bon Echo
  • Killbear
  • Pinery
  • Sandbanks

Maximum 14-night stay

  • Arrowhead
  • Awenda
  • Balsam Lake
  • Bass Lake
  • Blue Lake
  • Bonnechere
  • Charleston Lake
  • Chutes
  • Craigleith
  • Darlington
  • Driftwood
  • Earl Rowe
  • Emily
  • Esker Lakes
  • Fairbank
  • Finlayson Point
  • Fitzroy
  • Fushimi Lake
  • Grundy Lake
  • Halfway Lake
  • Inverhuron
  • Ivanhoe Lake
  • Kap-Kig-Iwan
  • Kettle Lakes
  • Killarney
  • Lake St. Peter
  • Lake Superior
  • Long Point
  • MacGregor Point
  • Mara
  • Marten River
  • McRae Point
  • Mikisew
  • Mississagi
  • Murphys Point
  • Nagagamisis
  • Neys
  • Oastler Lake
  • Pancake Bay
  • Point Farms
  • Port Burwell
  • Presqu’ile
  • Quetico
  • Rainbow Falls
  • Rene Brunelle
  • Restoule
  • Rideau River
  • Rock Point
  • Rondeau
  • Rushing River
  • Samuel de Champlain
  • Sauble Falls
  • Selkirk
  • Sharbot Lake
  • Sibbald Point
  • Silent Lake
  • Silver Lake
  • Six Mile Lake
  • Sleeping Giant
  • Sturgeon Bay
  • Turkey Point
  • Wheatley
  • Windy Lake

Maximum 23-night stay

  • Aaron
  • Arrow Lake
  • Bronte Creek
  • Caliper Lake
  • Ferris
  • Kakabeka Falls
  • MacLeod
  • Missinaibi
  • Ojibway
  • Pakwash
  • Sandbar Lake
  • Silver Falls
  • Sioux Narrows
  • Voyageur
  • Wakami Lake
  • White Lake

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Cottage Life

You can book an advanced parking permit for these 33 Ontario provincial parks

Photo by Sarah Tee/Shutterstock

On May 16, Ontario Parks added 16 new provincial parks to its advance daily vehicle permit program, bringing the total number of provincial parks enrolled in the program up to 33.

Ontario Parks initially launched the program on June 7, 2021,  to prevent long line-ups into the parks during popular and busy times. Visitors can book their daily vehicle permit up to five days in advance of their visit, ensuring they aren’t turned away upon arrival due to capacity limits, or have to wait in long line-ups to purchase a permit at the park.

Ontario Parks first rolled the program out in 17 the most popular provincial parks, including Algonquin, Sandbanks, and Presqu’ile. The government agency says the program proved popular, with 80 per cent of last year’s visitors voicing their approval. As a result, the program has been expanded.

You can purchase an advanced permit on Ontario Parks’ reservation site. Once you’ve purchased the permit, it guarantees you access to the park on the day you’ve selected. Starting at 7 a.m., you can purchase the advanced permit up to five days before you intend to visit.

Once you’ve purchased the permit, you’ll receive a confirmation email detailing the check-in instructions for the park. In most cases, you’ll have to show your confirmation at the entrance gate and leave a printed version of the permit on your vehicle’s dashboard.

If you’ve already purchased a seasonal or annual daily vehicle permit, which gives you unlimited access to provincial parks during a specific time period, Ontario Parks recommends that you still reserve an advanced daily vehicle permit so that you have guaranteed access to the park. This won’t cost you any extra. All you have to do is enter your seasonal or annual daily vehicle permit’s serial number in the reservation.

At a provincial park not registered in the program, you’ll still have to purchase your daily vehicle permit at the entrance gate. It is still possible to buy a daily vehicle permit at the entrance gate of a provincial park enrolled in the advance daily vehicle permit program, but Ontario Parks advises against it.

According to Ontario Parks, if you show up without an advanced reservation—even if you’re the first visitor to arrive in the morning—there’s no guarantee you’ll get access to the park as priority entrance goes to advance daily vehicle permit holders.

Whether you purchase the daily vehicle permit in advance or not, the price remains the same, ranging from $12.25 to $21, depending on the park. Alternatively, you can purchase an annual day-use permit for $99 or a summer day-use permit (valid from April 1 to November 30) for $75.

If you are planning a provincial park day trip, here are the 33 parks enrolled in the advance daily vehicle permit program:

  • Algonquin
  • Arrowhead
  • Bass Lake
  • Batchawana Bay
  • Blue Lake
  • Bonnechere
  • Craigleith
  • Darlington
  • Driftwood
  • Forks of the Credit
  • Kakabeka Falls
  • Kap-Kig-Iwan
  • Kettle Lakes
  • Lake Superior
  • Long Point
  • Mara
  • McRae Point
  • Mono Cliffs
  • North Beach
  • Pancake Bay
  • Pinery
  • Point Farms
  • Presqu’ile
  • Rainbow Falls
  • Rushing River
  • Samuel de Champlain
  • Sandbanks
  • Selkirk
  • Sibbald Point
  • Six Mile Lake
  • Turkey Point
  • Voyageur
  • Windy Lake

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Cottage Life

Cottage land buyout in Rondeau Provincial Park turned down by Ontario government

Photo by Shutterstock/Jay Fog

Ontario’s Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks (MECP) has rejected an offer from the municipality of Chatham-Kent to purchase a section of Rondeau Provincial Park.

There are 279 cottage lots in Rondeau, making up approximately one per cent of the park’s 8,000 acres. The cottagers own their cottage structures but lease the land from the provincial government. This tenancy agreement has been in place since 1894 and acts as a source of revenue for the park, helping to keep it self-sufficient.

The municipality, which pitched the proposal to the MECP in May of 2021, intended to act as a purchasing agent on behalf of the Rondeau Cottagers Association, who own secondary properties within the nearby provincial park.

Under the tenancy agreement, the government renewed the cottage leases every 21 years. But in the 1950s, the government changed its mind about cottages occupying the park. This is because parks started to grow overcrowded and the government wanted to expand its public land. After the 1950s, the government stopped approving the building of new cottages in Rondeau and instead started buying cottages when they went up for sale, demolishing the structures and returning the lots to park land.

The government renewed the cottage leases for the last time in 1996, removing the renewable clause. This meant that the cottage leases expired in 2017 and cottage owners would be forced to vacate the land. But instead of evicting the cottagers in 2017, the government temporarily renewed the leases until 2019. When 2019 rolled around, the government once again renewed the leases until the end of 2022, while it figured out what to do with the land.

This is where Chatham-Kent got involved. While the municipality has no jurisdiction over the park, the cottagers do contribute to the local economy. As a result, the Rondeau Cottagers Association and the Chatham-Kent city council decided to work together to ensure the cottagers weren’t evicted from the land.

In its proposal to the MECP, Chatham-Kent said it would pay the government the land’s assessed value of $29.2 million to purchase the 279 cottage lots. In addition to the payment, the municipality would also offer the government Clear Creek Conservation Area, a Carolinian forest slightly larger than Rondeau’s 40 acres of cottage land, approximately 20 kilometres from the provincial park. The municipality would then resell the Rondeau lots to the cottagers at face value, and the cottagers would pay for any out-of-pocket expenses the municipality incurred, such as legal fees.

While the MECP was open to hearing the proposal, in the end, it turned it down. “The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks is not currently pursuing a proposal from the municipality of Chatham-Kent and the Rondeau Cottage Association,” said Meghan Pomeroy, a spokesperson for Ontario Parks, in an email. “The ministry is considering options regarding the continued leasing of private cottage lots in Rondeau Provincial Park. No decisions regarding the future of Rondeau cottage lots beyond 2022 have been made at this time.”

The rejection of the offer has sent the Rondeau cottagers back to the drawing board, especially as the leases’ expiration date ticks closer.

In an email, a legal representative for Chatham-Kent said that the municipality remains open to engaging with all stakeholders regarding the cottage lots, and that it hopes that a positive resolution to the lease renewals can be found in the future.

The Rondeau Cottagers Association remained tight-lipped on their strategy moving forward. The group’s representative refused to be interviewed on the record, but did say that “the issue is still very much alive.”

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Cottage Life

New Ontario Parks’ system notifies you when a campsite is available

Photo by Day of Victory Studio/shutterstock

If your search for a campsite at an Ontario Provincial Park has ended in disappointment these past two years, you aren’t alone. Due to high demand in 2021, Ontario Parks has now introduced several new features to make booking your campsite easier, including a new availability notification system.

Should your desired park and dates become available within the five-month booking window, you will receive an email alert that will allow you to book within this time slot. This feature is a simpler solution for campers to stay up-to-date with cancellations, and current availability.

“Cancellations are made up to the day before someone is set to arrive,” explained Zachary Tucker, management advisor with Ontario Parks. “If you’re looking for something in August, you could keep looking from now until August. You never know what’s going to come up.”

Popular destinations like Bon Echo, Sandbanks, Pinery, Killbear, and Algonquin Provincial Parks tend to fill up more quickly than others, but other parks, such as Inverhuron and Restoule, have also been flooded with a large amount of booking reservations.

“This year the volumes are still quite high. The reservations are going well and we’re still seeing some consistency with how things were going last year,” Tucker said. “Last year was actually our record year, so we’re just behind that by approximately 9 per cent this year.”

There are a few other features available to campers who are keeping an eye on campsite openings this year, such as the new similar experiences feature. This allows campers to find the best possible alternative to their park of choice.