Province Offers Free Entry to Provincial Parks for Labour Day Weekend

The Department of Natural Resources and Northern Development’s Manitoba Parks branch is inviting all Manitobans to enjoy the great outdoors for the last long weekend of summer with free entry to provincial parks.

Vehicle permits are not required to visit provincial parks on the Labour Day long weekend from Sept. 1 to Sept. 4. Overnight camping fees and entrance fees to national parks still apply.

Individuals who wish to camp can make a reservation through the Parks Reservation Service at www.manitobaparks.com or by calling toll free at 1-888-482-2267. Several provincial park campsites, cabins and yurts remain open through the fall, allowing campers to stay as late as Thanksgiving weekend in October.

Tips for visitors and campers at provincial parks include:

• be ‘Wildlife Smart’ by maintaining a clean campsite, keeping all food, trash, toiletries and cooking utensils locked in a vehicle or trailer, and pack out trash and recyclables before leaving;
• keep all pets on leash;
• keep all campfires in approved pits such as those found in campsites, check with the campground office for any campfire restrictions; and
• to prevent the spread of the emerald ash borer, firewood should not be transported outside Winnipeg and can result in charges and fines of up to $1,300 for individuals or $15,000 for businesses. Firewood should be obtained and burned locally, and is available for purchase from local retailers at most campgrounds.

To prevent and contain the spread of aquatic invasive species such as zebra mussels, all water users including boaters, fishers and beachgoers, must follow the specific decontamination and bait requirements in place in control zones. Anyone transporting watercraft including canoes and kayaks must stop at watercraft inspection stations when they are open. For more information on invasive species, visit: www.manitoba.ca/StopAIS.

Schools are encouraged to participate in free interpretive programs this fall at Birds Hill, Spruce Woods and Whiteshell provincial parks. Park Interpreters deliver trail hikes, exploration activities and other curriculum-based learning experiences for all grades on cultural history, ecology and flora and fauna study, as well as outdoor skills. Teachers can find program details and plan field trips to parks by visiting www.manitobaparks.com.