Canada Strong Pass brings back rail and park deals

The Canada Strong Pass will return next month. It will again offer visitors discounts on travel and cultural attractions, including Via Rail, museums and national parks. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

In a news release, Canadian Heritage said the pass will be available from June 19 through Sept. 7. Its benefits cover park access, camping fees, rail travel and museum admission during that period.

Canada Strong Pass benefits for visitors

The program provides free admission to all Parks Canada sites. It also includes a 25 per cent rebate on camping fees.

Via Rail discounts are also included in the pass. Travellers under 18 can ride for free when travelling with their parents. Meanwhile, passengers aged 18 to 24 can receive 25 per cent off fares.

National museums will provide free admission for children under 18. Also, visitors between 18 and 24 years old will receive a 50 per cent discount.

Participating provincial and territorial museums and art galleries will offer the same discounts.

Via Rail, Parks Canada and museum attendance

Canadian Heritage said the pass, which was launched last summer, led to higher activity across several participating sectors. The department reported a 6.5 per cent increase in Via Rail Canada ridership. It also reported a 13 per cent rise in visits to Parks Canada sites.

In addition, Canadian Heritage reported an average 15 per cent increase in attendance at national museums. It also reported an average 6.3 per cent increase at provincial and territorial museums and art galleries.

Late last year, Parks Canada spokesperson Megan Hope said the agency recorded about 14.5 million visitors between June 20 and Sept. 2.

National historic sites managed by Parks Canada saw visitor numbers rise by around 20 per cent. At the same time, national parks reported an increase of about nine per cent.

Regional visitor figures from Parks Canada

A Parks Canada document shared last year showed that the Northwest Territories and Nunavut together recorded a 67 per cent increase in visitors. Their total reached 2,960 in 2025, compared with 1,771 in 2023.

Newfoundland and Labrador also reported a large rise. Visits increased 58 per cent to 157,538 in 2025 from 99,985 in 2023.

Visitor numbers went up in every province and territory except Saskatchewan. There, Parks Canada recorded 153,920 visitors in 2025. Still, that was a 25 per cent decrease from 205,265 in 2023.

The return of the Canada Strong Pass for this summer was announced last fall. The announcement came at the same time as the winter pass, which was in effect from Dec. 12 to Jan. 15.

The pass is available to both Canadian and international visitors.

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