Parks Canada and commercial guides have worked together for over a century to provide visitors with safe, enriching, and sustainable experiences in our national parks. This long-standing partnership has helped protect natural spaces while ensuring people can connect with Canada’s incredible landscapes responsibly and meaningfully.
Today, that collaboration is more critical than ever. With increasing visitor numbers and growing pressures on park infrastructure, guides play a critical role in visitor use management, safety, and conservation efforts.
Research shows that guides are a frontline solution to many of the challenges Parks Canada faces:
✅ Guides reduce congestion – 91% believe their work helps spread out visitation and lessen pressure on high-use areas.
✅ Guides keep people safe – 56% have provided first aid or rescue assistance to unguided visitors in the last three years.
✅ Guides educate and protect – 98% follow and teach environmental ethics, helping to foster responsible park use.
💬 “We work with guests to visit parks during slower parts of the summer, helping to spread out visitation.” – Alberta Guide
Despite the proven benefits of guided experiences, access barriers and outdated policies make it harder for guides to operate. A recent survey of 72 guiding operations found that:
-75% of guides have had to turn away clients due to limited access.
-79% say access challenges prevent long-term business planning.
-$1 million in annual tourism revenue could be unlocked by improving guided access.
“I spend so much time just trying to stay in operation that it takes away from growing and expanding.” – Southern Rockies Guide
Guides have been trusted partners of Parks Canada for generations. As Parks Canada develops new strategies for visitor use management, guides must remain at the table to help co-create solutions that balance access and conservation.
AMPPE calls on Parks Canada to:
-Recognize guides as essential partners in visitor management strategies
-Improve access policies that support responsible guiding operations.
-Streamline permitting processes to reduce administrative burdens.
-Develop collaborative solutions ensuring a sustainable future for parks and tourism operators.
By working together, we can ensure that commercial guides remain valuable in visitor education, safety, and conservation—helping Parks Canada manage growing visitation while upholding its mission to protect Canada’s natural and cultural heritage.
Let’s keep the collaboration going. Join us in ensuring that guided experiences continue to enhance Canada’s national parks for generations to come.