Manitoba businesses on federal land reopen late, as Riding Mountain National Park opens June 1

As Manitoba enters Phase 2 of its economic reopening, people who own businesses in national parks are getting a late start.

A range of businesses can open as of June 1, which is also when 29 of 48 national parks will be allowed to begin a limited reopening.

But that's weeks after Manitoba provincial parks, and some non-essential businesses, were allowed to open in the first phase of the provincial plan in early May.

At that time, Parks Canada was not allowing any visitors into national parks, such as Riding Mountain National Park.

"Our main challenge … has been the lack of alignment between the reopening of provincial parks in the province, and reopening of our national park," said Karly McRae, who owns three businesses in Wasagaming, a townsite in the national park about 220 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.

"We have sort of lagged about a month behind in terms of reopening — and a month in the life of a business can either make or break them, especially in a challenging time like this."

May was quiet for businesses in Wasagaming, said McRae, as many customers sought clarity on the rules surrounding services in the national park.

McRae believes Parks Canada should be more agile in its governance and should have allowed Riding Mountain — one of two federal parks in Manitoba, which has seen only five new COVID-19 cases in the past 17 days — to reopen earlier.

"A lot of these businesses open, typically, in early May or in late April, and they have a very short window of time to get up and running, and to capitalize on their short season," she said.

On Thursday, two Manitoba MPs called for the federal government to align the reopening of Riding Mountain National Park with that of other Manitoba parks.

"It would only seem reasonable that if Manitoba … can safely welcome visitors to dozens of parks across the province for camping and boating, then Riding Mountain National Park can do the same," Larry Maguire, the member of Parliament for Brandon-Souris, said in a media release.

Dan Mazier, MP for Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa, said it seems Parks Canada hasn't considered the regional situation with regards to COVID-19.

Riding Mountain National Park is among those allowed to reopen for day use on June 1, with some limitations:

• Boating is prohibited on park waters until Parks Canada's aquatic invasive species prevention program is up and running. The estimated start date is June 12.
• Camping is prohibited until at least June 21, when campgrounds at Moon Lake, Lake Audy, Whirlpool Lake and Deep Lake may open.
• The visitor centre and park administration building will remain closed.
• Highway 19 and Rolling River Road remain closed due to poor driving conditions.
• All special events and interpretive activities are cancelled until further notice.
• Shore fishing is allowed, but no fishing licences will be sold during the first phase of Riding Mountain National Park's reopening. Visitors must buy a licence through a third party.

"We are looking at resuming our services in a phased approach," said Richard Dupuis, visitor experience manager at Riding Mountain National Park.

"Throughout all this, we are making sure that we're doing it safely … to make sure that our visitors, employees and also all Canadians are safe."

Despite being federally governed, Dupuis said the park has been working with public health officials in Manitoba to ensure it follows the province's public health orders.

There was also some dialogue between Riding Mountain National Park and Manitoba Parks to share notes on reopening plans, he said.