Winnipeg 
(Updated on March 27 with the latest information from the news release)
The Manitoba government has launched a new reservation system to resolve the complaints about the provincial park summer camping reservation process.
Manitoba Parks
Manitoba Parks will open campground reservations for the 2023 season on April 3, 2023. A staggered launch date approach spread over six days will be used this year also.
“Provincial parks are treasured by Manitobans and we want to provide a positive experience when guests book a spot at a provincial campground,” said Natural Resources and Northern Development Minister Greg Nesbitt in a news release.
“We are excited to provide Manitobans with an enhanced park reservation experience to plan for enjoyment of our beautiful summers and make great camping memories.”
Per the news release, Camis Inc., a company based in Guelph, Ont., is behind this new reservation service. The company provides reservations service to Ontario Parks, BC Parks, Nova Scotia Parks, New Brunswick Parks, Yukon Parks, and Newfoundland and Labrador Parks. Camis has also provided call centre services to Manitoba Parks for the past two seasons.
Manitoba says the new Parks Reservation Service platform will provide a modern, mobile-friendly, user-friendly website for booking campsites.
How the new system will work:
According to the news release:
- The new service will use a virtual waiting room and queuing system for campsite reservations.
- The online queue is an efficient process that allows for fair access to the system, while ensuring that at no point the demand placed on the site is overwhelming.
- Between 6:30 a.m. and 7 a.m. on opening days, users on the reservation website will be placed in a virtual waiting room. During this time, no order or queue is established. At exactly 7 a.m., all users in the waiting room will be randomly assigned a unique number in the queue.
- Users will be admitted into the reservation website based on that number.
- After 7 a.m., users visiting the reservation website will be assigned a number at the end of the virtual queue (behind the users who were in the virtual waiting room before 7 a.m.) and will be let into the reservation website when their turn arrives.
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What You Need to Do Before New System Launches
Per the news release, you should log into existing Parks Reservation Service accounts and take note of preferred sites from previous reservations before March 24th.
After March 27, users can create a new account and take the opportunity to browse the new site in preparation for reservation launch dates.
Fees:
There will not be any changes to nightly fees for the 2023 camping season. The $10 non-refundable reservation fee will continue to apply to all reservations. Camping fees will continue to vary between campgrounds and the level of service offered.
2023 Campground Reservation Opening Dates:
- April 3 – All cabins, yurts and group use areas (including Hecla and Camp Morton recreation halls);
- April 5 – Campsite reservations for all western and northern region parks including Asessippi, Bakers Narrows, Clearwater (Campers Cove and Pioneer Bay), Duck Mountain (Blue Lakes, Childs Lake, Wellman Lake), Manipogo, Paint Lake, Rainbow Beach, Rivers, Spruce Woods (Kiche Manitou), Turtle Mountain (Adam Lake), William Lake and Wekusko Falls;
- April 11 – Campsite reservations for Birds Hill and Winnipeg Beach campgrounds;
- April 12 – Campsite reservations for south Whiteshell including Caddy Lake, Falcon Beach, Falcon Lakeshore and West Hawk Lake;
- April 13 – Campsite reservations for Nopiming (Tulabi Falls, Tulabi Short Haul, Bird Lake, Black Lake, Shoe Lake, Beresford Lake) and north Whiteshell (Big Whiteshell, Brereton Lake, Nutimik Lake, Opapiskaw, Betula Lake and White Lake) campgrounds; and
- April 14 – All remaining locations including Birch Point, Camp Morton, Grand Beach, Hecla, Hnausa Beach, Lundar Beach, Moose Lake, St. Malo, Stephenfield and Watchorn.
What is new/on hold:
- Long weekend stays will require a two-night minimum that includes a Saturday and Sunday (excluding Canada Day long weekend in 2023).
- Birch Point Provincial Park, Tulabi Short Haul Sites in Nopiming Provincial Park and Otter Falls Campground in Whiteshell Provincial Park will not open for reservations, as these campgrounds will be under construction for flood-related repairs this spring. An opening date is undetermined at this time.
- Those wishing to camp in Beresford Lake in Nopiming Provincial Park must detour through Bisset due to ongoing road repairs.
Duration of Stay:
The booking policies for campsites vary based on the type of accommodation and date of stay.
Most campsites only require a one-night booking, except for long weekends (May long, August long, September long and Thanksgiving long weekend) must include a Saturday and Sunday night.
Family vacation cabins and yurts require a minimum stay of two nights at all times, and there is a specific three-night minimum stay at Birds Hill Provincial Park during the Winnipeg Folk Festival.
Specific campsites have a minimum seven-night stay requirement, but only during July and August and these can only be reserved by staying a minimum of seven nights, including at least one Sunday-to-Sunday time period. Early departures are not eligible for refunds when a minimum stay is required. Once reservations open, the seven-night stay restriction is lifted from any unsold camping inventory at midnight on the opening day.
Family vacation cabins, yurts, and backcountry campsites have a maximum stay limit of seven nights throughout the season.
Some campsites have a maximum stay limit of 21 nights between June 15 and August 15 to ensure fair access for all campers.
How to reserve:
Reserve Online: https://manitoba.goingtocamp.com/
On opening days, reservations will continue to be accepted through the call centre at 204-948- 3333 in Winnipeg or 1-888-482-2267.
In-person service and payments will also continue to be accepted in Winnipeg at 1181 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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