B.C. Parks fee increase

Hi,

Our governments in Canada seem to enjoy taking the camp out of camping. I much prefer small town RV parks where the fee is low.

Sheesh, how right you are = not enough folks = need to increase fees for budget to maintain. Too many people = need to increase fees to maintain. Double edged sword.

I can remember a few years back we thought the prices of BC PP campgrounds were high compared to Alberta, and that's when they were more controlled by the Gov versus the private concessionaires here. Lately we've found the prices here in AB are getting crazy and we aren't supporting CG's here much any more preferring to go over the border to much cheaper and just as attractive locations, many free but spending our vacation dollars in local businesses, that's indirectly causing the loss to our own country, which is sad really.

I just looked at our 16 year camping log book and in the first five years of camping we averaged 21 days a year camping in PP's & SP's. The next five years saw it drop to 12, and the past 6 years average of 3 days per year, none the past two. Yet our overall average number of days RVing have gone up from 33 days first five years, 48 days next five years to several trips to the USA the past 6 years of 6 and 3 to 4 week trips, averaging 67 days a year for the past 6.

McClean Creek, Kananaski's country basically just a gravel parking space with a spigot here and there scattered far apart you can only fill jugs with not for tank filling, and a dump station at the entrance, we paid $33 per night to park. It's supposedly the land of the people yet there is strictly enforced zero random camping even if we were 1km away from an established campground, but it comes under PULZ (Public Use Lands)

We often comment how Canada was all about promoting the great outdoors, affordable family camping and wilderness camping and about the land belonging to the people and so on. In the twenty years we've lived here in southern Alberta, and Ontario before here it's sure not feeling that way to us any more today.

Oh well, signs of the times I guess, and we all pay our money and the governments make our choices.

When I told my DW about the increase yesterday she said some words I care not to repeat!
We have stopped using BC Campgrounds and started using the ones down in Wash State. We are luck we live so close to the boarder so we can be at a really nice site in an hours or so. We also are staying more at a seasonal site until we retire next spring, just because of the prices that the Govt is charging and what I can get at a Private site for about the same price. I really think they people that are making the decisions when it comes to “campground increases and improvement ” need to open the blinds on the widows in the offices in Victoria.

Soup

Yukon campgrounds are $12 per night with FREE firewood.

Residents pay $50 per year for a pass that provides unlimited camping, so after four nights out, it has paid for itself.

Best deal ever.

sue.t wrote:
Yukon campgrounds are $12 per night with FREE firewood.

Residents pay $50 per year for a pass that provides unlimited camping, so after four nights out, it has paid for itself.

Best deal ever.

They are the best campgrounds , by far , of any we stayed at in 2013 .
Beautiful locations , squeaky clean and maintained . The free fire wood is a nice touch . and 12 bucks is a fair price .

YUP thats why we are headed back up to Stewart where DW is from and going to take a long wide circle trip up into the Yukon and then back south again
Soup

Seems like a sad story but in reality the cost of camping at private campgrounds is usually a lot more than the PPC in BC.

Depending upon the levels at the park - an increase in campers can require more staff - keeping the office open longer hours - increasing the size of the sewer system - adding restrooms - etc.

Costs can be budgeted on X number of camper nights per year. If you get 1.5 X camper nights per year - it can actually raise fixed costs.

SideHillSoup wrote:
YUP thats why we are headed back up to Stewart where DW is from and going to take a long wide circle trip up into the Yukon and then back south again
Soup

The BC campground on the shore of Dease lake is super nice , and free when we camped there in 2013 :)

sue.t wrote:
Yukon campgrounds are $12 per night with FREE firewood.

Residents pay $50 per year for a pass that provides unlimited camping, so after four nights out, it has paid for itself.

Best deal ever.

I believe there is a better one still. Yukon seniors get the yearly pass for free.
Art.