NEWS RELEASE
PARKS CANADA
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Starting June 1, 2020, the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site started offering limited visitor access and basic services.
Visitors are now able to access the following services and facilities:
- The recreational lock is operating, seven days per week, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- The public washroom is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Hiking on the Attikamek Trail
- The day-use areas and green spaces on North and South St. Marys Islands
- The east end parking lot
The east end parking lot is open, but as always, overnight parking and camping are strictly prohibited.
The Visitor Centre remains closed. Please bring your own provisions and equipment. Group activities and public events are suspended until further notice.
Visiting the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site will be different than it has been in the past. Visitors are asked to plan ahead by checking the website before they travel to find out:
- what is open
- what they can expect
- how to prepare for their visit
Fort St. Joseph National Historic Site is scheduled to open on June 17, 2020. Basic services including some trails, the ruins, day-use areas, and the main parking lot will be open. A portable toilet will be available in the parking area and serviced with an enhanced cleaning schedule. The Visitor Centre will remain closed. The site’s hours of operation will be Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please continue to visit our website for updates on available services and facilities as we move through the season.
The health and safety of visitors and employees is of utmost importance to the Government of Canada. Parks Canada is following the advice of public health experts and continues to make every effort to limit the spread of COVID-19. Visitors should follow the advice of public health experts, including necessary hygiene practices and physical distancing of two metres from others.
Parks Canada asks visitors to be respectful of others and to follow posted outdoor etiquette. On trails let others know of your intention to pass, signalling others using your voice or a bell and yield to oncoming users where space is narrow and let others move out of bridges, platforms, and other narrow spaces before entering. For your own safety, avoid touching hard surfaces, carry hand sanitizer, and cover picnic tables. Please help keep our places clean by picking up your litter and disposing of it in appropriate garbage containers, or take your waste home. Help us keep our wildlife wild by not feeding animals.
Parks Canada is asking Canadians to be cautious and conservative in their use of these places, to observe any regional or provincial travel restrictions, and to respect any closures that are in place. Anyone participating in recreational activities should be extra cautious to avoid injury and/or getting lost to help minimize the demands placed on search and rescue teams and on the health care system.
Detailed information on Parks Canada places and the measures the Agency is taking to limit the spread of COVID-19 can be found on the Parks Canada website. Please check regularly for updates.
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