Facts and figures about Canada’s national parks

OTTAWA – Some facts and figures about Canada’s national parks:

— Parks Canada lists 46 of them, from Aulavik National Park on Banks Island in the Northwest Territories to Point Pelee National Park on the southernmost point of mainland Canada; and from Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland and Labrador to Gulf Islands National Park Reserve on the Strait of Georgia.

— They range in size from Georgian Bay Islands National Park at 14 square kilometres to Wood Buffalo National Park at almost 45,000 square kilometres.

— From January to Sept. 30, 2015, there were 20.57 million visitors to national parks and sites, an increase of six per cent over 2014.

— Parks Canada opened its online park reservation system in January, 2016, rather than its customary April 1 opening. Reservations through mid-April are up about 20 per cent compared with the same period in 2015.

— In 2017, park entrance fees will be waived to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation; new Canadians in the first year of citizenship and all youths will continue to receive free entry after 2017.