Dramatic price increases for Canadians visiting U.S. national parks could benefit Maritimes

Next year, it will be incredibly more expensive for foreign residents to visit American national parks.

That includes Canadians, some of whom have already been boycotting travel to the U.S. in droves.

According to an announcement from the Department of the Interior, starting on Jan. 1, national parks will be subject to what it calls “American-first entry fee policies.” 

The fee for foreigners to purchase an annual park pass, which allows entry into all national parks across the United States, will increase from $80 US to $250. Fees for American citizens and permanent residents will remain at $80. 

In addition, there will be a $100 surcharge for each foreigner aged 16 and older, per visit, at top national parks, which includes Acadia National Park near Bar Harbor, Me., just a 175-kilometre drive southwest of the New Brunswick border in St. Stephen.

The pass covers entry for the holder plus up to three adults. Children get in for free.

If a Canadian family of four with two older teenage kids were to purchase a pass and visit Acadia next year, that comes to about $900 Cdn to get into the park before gas, accommodations and food are even factored in. 

“U.S. residents will continue to enjoy affordable pricing, while nonresidents will pay a higher rate to help support the care and maintenance of America’s parks,” a news release from the department said.

By contrast, all national parks in Canada were free to access for everyone last summer, and will also be free for the coming 2026 season, according to the Parks Canada website. 

The fact that Maine’s only national park, Acadia, is subject to the fee increases comes as the state’s Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has made efforts to bring back Canadian visitors. She had signs put up along the New Brunswick border welcoming Canadians, and even visited the province as well as Nova Scotia last summer.

Spokespeople for both Mills and the Maine Tourism Association did not respond to several interview requests from CBC News.

Statistics from the U.S. show that Canadian visits to the U.S. are down dramatically. 

Overall, between February and October, the number of return trips by Canadians to the U.S. declined by 21 per cent for air travel and by a staggering 33.5 per cent for land travel, according to Statistics Canada data provided to CBC News.

“It will add to the problem that the Americans have right now, which is trying to attract Canadian tourists,” said Lorn Sheehan, a tourism professor at Dalhousie University.