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
