Visitation is slowly rebounding in Canada's national parks — like Pacific Rim National Park Reserve — and historic sites/Parks Canada, Scott Munn

Point Pelee National Park — the Ontario home to songbird and monarch migrations — has cracked the top 10 list of Canada’s most visited national parks in 2021. It joins Banff National Park and Jasper National Park, which stayed securely in first and second place respectively.

And while attendance hasn’t rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, it is slowly rising. Last year, 14,506,904 people visited national parks, up from 11.8 million in 2020. On the national historic site front, visitation jumped from 5.3 million to 6,924,090. That adds up to 21,430,994 visits, up from 17.1 million in 2020.

“Being in nature and outdoors brings a number of health and wellness benefits,” Parks Canada media relations spokesperson Claudia Crépeault said in a written statement. “As Canadians have done their part to limit the spread of COVID-19, it has been important to have access to national historic sites and national parks where people can be together, get fresh air and be active while also following the guidance of public health experts.”

A lone kayaker in Lachine Canal National Historic Site/Parks Canada, Miguel Legault

The 2021 increase is mainly due to the fact the season launched in mid-May instead of June and July like it did in 2020. There were also fewer restrictions on domestic travel, and some additional offers, like the fact that Jasper’s Whistlers campground resumed operation after construction. At some sites, Parks Canada safely resumed guided tours and interpretive activities.

“Although attendance numbers for 2021 have not bounced back to where they were pre-pandemic, Parks Canada is pleased to see an increase over 2020 visitation levels,” said Crépeault.

Parks Canada protects 47 national parks, 171 national historic sites, one national urban park and five national marine conservation areas. Most parks and sites see the bulk of visitors between the May long weekend and Canadian Thanksgiving in early October.

The Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site in Ontario/Parks Canada, Scott Munn

Parks Canada actually works on a fiscal year and compiles attendance data from April 1 to March 31, releasing it by late summer through the Open Government portal. But it agreed to gather the raw calendar year data for the Traveler and let us crunch the available numbers.

Attendance is measured in “person-visits,” which is defined as “each time a person enters the land or marine part of a reporting unit for recreational, education or cultural purposes during business hours. Through, local and commercial traffic are excluded. Same day re-entries and re-entries by visitors staying overnight in the reporting unit do not constitute new person-visits.”

Some data is always missing and categorized as “CL” (location closed), NA (figures not available due to things such as counter issues), and NR (figures not reported). Rouge National Urban Park, for example, has hundreds of entry points and visitation is impossible to count.

A whale in Saguenay St. Lawrence National Marine Park in Quebec/Parks Canada, Nelson Boivert

The 10 most visited parks for 2021 were:
1. Banff National Park (Alberta): 3,640,125
2. Jasper National Park (Alberta): 2,102,383
3. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (British Columbia): 1,149,972
4. Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park (Quebec): 880,317
5. Revelstoke National Park and Glacier National Park (British Columbia): 723,379 (these are separate parks but close enough to each other that they count as “one reporting unit” for visitor attendance.
6. Point Pelee National Park (Ontario): 565,236
7. Yoho National Park (British Columbia): 535,861
8. Elk Island National Park (Alberta): 531,817
9. Waterton Lakes National Park (Alberta): 525,749
10. Prince Edward Island National Park (Prince Edward Island): 514,172

One of the seaside beaches in Prince Edward Island National Park/Parks Canada, J. Pleau

From west to east, that means three B.C., four Alberta, one Ontario, one Quebec and one PEI park made the list.

It’s no surprise that the mountain parks in Alberta and British Columbia are always the biggest draw, or that nine out of 10 parks on this list were also on it in 2020. Only Bruce Peninsula National Park dropped out, and only Point Pelee was new.

“Point Pelee is located in close proximity to a large urban area in Ontario and has many local annual pass holders who come and enjoy the park on a regular basis,” said Crépeault.

Pacific Rim moved up from seventh spot in 2020 to third for 2021. It’s close to a large urban area on Vancouver Island, Parks Canada noted, and popular with locals. “Most of the visitation shifted to domestic /local over the last couple years,” said Crépeault.

Kayaks on the beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve/Parks Canada, Josh McCulloch

The provincial breakdown is much different for national historic sites, with a top 10 list made up of just one from British Columbia, but five from Quebec and three from Ontario, and then one from Nova Scotia.

The 10 most visited national historic sites for 2021 were:
1. Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site (Quebec): 1,318,506
2. Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site (Ontario): 1,296,305
3. Lachine Canal National Historic Site (Quebec): 1,232,364
4. Rideau Canal National Historic Site (Ontario): 934,498
5. Rogers Pass National Historic Site (British Columbia): 499,171
6. Halifax Citadel National Historic Site (Nova Scotia): 291,981
7. Chambly Canal National Historic Site (Quebec): 279,858
8. Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Canal National Historic Site (Quebec): 171,499
9. Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site (Ontario): 94,527
10. Fort Chambly National Historic Site (Quebec): 69,879

The Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site/Parks Canada, Ron Garnett

As with the national parks, nine out of 10 of these historic sites were also on the 2020 list. This time, Sainte-Anne-de Bellevue Canal knocked out Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites (two separate sites managed as one) from British Columbia for a spot.

“Most of the sites listed among the 10 most visited national historic sites are located in large urban areas or city centres, especially historic canals, which generally cut across many locations, almost like a linear park,” said Crépeault. “In addition to the historic site in itself, these places also offer a wide variety of amenities throughout their premises that visitors and residents can access and enjoy, such a multipurpose path, trails, green spaces, picnic areas or street furniture. For these sites, visitation figures reflect the number of visitors to the site and the local use of the area by residents.”

It’s interesting to note that Quebec has more historic sites than other provinces — 24 versus 13 in Ontario. It is home to five canals.

Fort Chambly National Historic Site in Quebec/Parks Canada, Chris Reardon

As travel restrictions ease, Parks Canada expects to see more international travelers. But while most of the places it administers will be open this year, visitor services may vary across the country depending on local circumstances and provincial and territorial travel rules.

Most national historic sites will be open, but “some may have areas, rooms or buildings that are closed for health and safety reasons. Many tours and activities are being offered, but there may be limits on the number of participants or requirements to pre-register, and some guided walks may have minor changes to ensure the health and safety of participants and Parks Canada employees,” said Crépeault.

Boating the Lachine Canal National Historic Site in Quebec/Parks Canada, Eric Robichaud

For those who’re curious about the least visited parks and sites, the data exists but isn’t particularly meaningful. Some were closed by the pandemic or offered limited services, some are remote, some were closed for restorations. Some simply had not reported their numbers by April 4. 

Six parks logged zero visitors, but they were either closed because of the pandemic or listed with “figures not reported.” Gros Morne National Park, a big draw in Newfoundland and Labrador, was registered as closed for seven months and “figures not available” for the other five.

Six parks logged zero visits and five more had 503 or fewer visitors.
• Wapusk National Park (Manitoba): 503
• Sable Island National Park Reserve (Nova Scotia): 205
• Auyuittuq Nationa; Park (Nunavut): 45
• Ivvavik National Park (Yukon): 22
• Nááts'įhch'oh National Park Reserve (Northwest Territories): 6
• Aulavik National Park (NWT): 0
• Gros Morne National Park (Newfoundland and Labrador): 0
• Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site (British Columbia): 0
• Tuktut Nogait National Park (NWT): 0
• Quttinirpaaq National Park (Nunavut): 0
• Sirmilik National Park (Nunavut): 0

Remote Tuktut Nogait National Park in the Northwest Territories didn't see any visitors in 2021/Parks Canada

Ten historic sites logged 51 or fewer visitors last year, mainly because they were closed.
• Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site (British Columbia): 51
• Woodside National Historic Site (Ontario): 41
• York Factory National Historic Site (Manitoba): 22
• Province House National Historic Site (PEI): 0
• Carleton Martello Tower National Historic Site (New Brunswick): 0
• St. Andrews Blockhouse National Historic Site (New Brunswick): 0
• Fort Lennox National Historic Site (Quebec): 0
• Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse National Historic Site (Quebec): 0
• Fort Battleford National Historic Site (Saskatchewan): 0
• Nan Sdins National Historic Site (B.C.): 0