Campsite fees in provincial parks on the rise

Saskatchewan residents planning to book seasonal campsites are facing stiff fee increases — most around 25 per cent more than they paid last year — and using a new reservation system to save their spot.

The fee for seasonal sites with access to electricity will increase from $2,100 to $2,600 (a 23.8-percent increase), non-electric will go from $1,100 to $1,400 (27.2 per cent) and economy will go from $900 to $1,100 (22 per cent).

There are also other increases on the books, including annual park entry permits ($75 from $65) and weekly permits ($35 to $40). Three-day passes will no longer be available and a day pass remains unchanged at $10. Fees for cancelled reservations, changes and no-shows will increase for nightly, group and seasonal bookings.

Nightly full-service and electric sites will increase by $2 to $42 and $32, respectively. Daily non-electric camping is $20. During the shoulder seasons (before June 24 and after Sept. 2), there will be a $5 discount per night for electric, non-electric and economy sites.

According to Minh Truong, director of park experiences with the provincial government, all of the increases came about simply because of the rising costs associated with operating the parks.

He pointed to improvements to safety features, washrooms, playgrounds, roads, boat launches, electrical systems and more as some of the items in which the government has invested in recent years

He noted the province’s parks already have more interest in seasonal sites than can be accommodated. He said even with the increases, camping in Saskatchewan is still an affordable option for many residents.

Booking seasonal campsites — which allows for long-term summer camping from mid-may to August or, in some instances, September — online will be moved to a reservation system instead of the previous lottery program, which allowed campers to enter a draw for the sites. In a news release, the province said a queuing system will be used to “ensure a fair process.”

For seasonal campsites, customers will be able to book for only one person in one campsite with one payment.

Reservations for seasonal campsites will open April 2 at 7 a.m. Group campsites may be booked through the online reservation system as of April 4.

The province is also launching an upgraded and improved website for online reservations. The booking system had not been updated since 2012, and the new system is currently undergoing “rigorous” testing to ensure the site does not cause problems for campers as it has in years past.

Nightly reservations for 2019 campsites will open at 7 a.m. on April 8 and run to April 18.

The launch dates will be staggered, and a queuing system will be used.