The mid-September announcement by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks disclosed that $60 million will be spent to create 1,100 new campsites — 800 of them will have electrical service — over the next three years.
The initiative is part of the provincial government’s plan to make it easier to camp at Ontario Parks destinations while boosting domestic and international tourism.
New campsites will be added at Driftwood, MacGregor Point, Bon Echo, and Killarney provincial parks, with more parks to follow. At the same time, existing campsites at Sandbanks, Arrowhead, and Bon Echo provincial parks will be upgraded with electrical service, with additional parks receiving electrified campsites in the future. Sandbanks — one of Ontario’s most popular parks with approximately 750,000 visitors each year — will see up to 73 campsites electrified by summer 2026, enhancing comfort and improving accessibility for a wider range of visitors.
“This upgrade marks a major milestone for Ontario Parks — the most significant expansion of camping opportunities in 50 years,” Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Todd McCarthy said. “More people than ever before are looking to vacation in Ontario and across Canada to support their local communities. With hundreds of new and upgraded campsites, we’re giving more people the opportunity to support local businesses and jobs while camping at Ontario Parks and making memories to last a lifetime.”
A full list of additional parks receiving new or upgraded campsites will be released in the future.
Additional projects will be considered as part of the ministry’s long-term strategy to expand access to Ontario Parks.
Originally published in the Nov.-Dec. 2025 issue of Ontario Out of Doors
