The Canada Strong Pass is expanding as more museums and galleries operated by individual provinces and territories offer free or discounted admission for some Canadians until September 2.
In most cases, this means that children under the age of 17 will get free admission, and those aged 18 to 24 will receive a 50 per cent discount on fees to the newly added museums and galleries, according to the Government of Canada.
Introduced in April, the Canada Strong Pass was promoted by the federal government as an incentive to support Canadian tourism and local businesses by offering free or reduced admission to national parks, museums and galleries, as well as fares on Via Rail.
At the time, Prime Minister Mark Carney said that the pass was being launched as the United States was, “threatening our economy and sovereignty, (and as) Canadians are uniting to find new ways to discover and celebrate our beautiful country.”
The trade war stemming from U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies has led many Canadians to choose alternative destinations to the U.S. for travel and tourism, with many looking to explore more that Canada has to offer.
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“It has been about a month since Canadian families began exploring our country with the Canada Strong Pass. I welcome the enthusiastic response of provincial and territorial governments in joining this initiative at a time we need to be united and strong,” said Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages Steven Guilbeault in a Thursday release.
“Museums are where stories are told, art is preserved, and traditions live on. They help shape our understanding of history and culture. I invite all Canadians to choose Canada this summer and enjoy the benefits of the Pass.”
The release notes that as of the end of June, more than 700,000 people visited the Canada Strong Pass website.
Some of the newly included attractions include the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria, the Oil Sands Discovery Centre in Fort McMurray, The Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq, the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic in Nova Scotia and the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre in Whitehorse.
All visitors will continue to receive free admission to national historic sites, national parks and national marine conservation areas administered by Parks Canada, and there is still a 25 per cent discount on camping fees at applicable locations, the release says.
The Canada Strong Pass continues to be available without registrations or a physical pass, and the release adds that the Pass is eligible to “all visitors, whether you are Canadian or coming from abroad.”
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