Canada Strong Pass: National parks, provincial sites reap benefits

'The only way to fall in love with your national parks is to visit them,' said Shameer Suleman, president of the Waterton Park Chamber of Commerce

The Canada Strong Pass has granted free admission into national parks for the summer, as well as discounted rates for overnight stays, museums, historic sites and travel with Via Rail — and while it’s too early for final numbers, participating sites have seen some benefits in the first half of the summer.

Shameer Suleman, president of the Waterton Park Chamber of Commerce, said that while daytime visitation has been high, the increase hasn’t necessarily translated across all sectors of local business.

“It’s a tale of two summers,” he said. “I find that our international business is up. Our American business feels slightly down.”

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