Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. When the sun starts coming back, I get excited about summer, and the sun is coming back. I am wondering if the Minister of ITI will let us know when ITI plans to open campground bookings online this summer. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am also excited for the summer coming back. Right now, the planned reservation time for parks will be a staged opening between May 4th and May 7th. Thank you.
If the bookings open May 1st to May 4th, I am wondering when the campgrounds intend to open.
One of the things that COVID did not change is the weather, and as such, we are still sticking with the usual dates for opening. This accommodates the fact that those who have the contracts to do the campgrounds and to operate the parks need some time, once they are able to get in there, once the thaw has begun, to actually get in there and make facilities functional and usable. We are right now anticipating the same usual opening date, which would be May 15th for most parks and/or the May 24th long weekend for the other parks.
I understand that it's cold sometimes. We have, in the North, some pretty tough people, and I think they would love to start their staycation season a little bit early given that they have been in town for a long time and would love the opportunity to break out their campers. Some of them who are extreme die-hards would love to just camp in the snow. I am wondering if ITI would be willing to open the season a little bit early this year. Don't worry; I am not a snow camper. If they would be willing to open the parks a little bit earlier this year. I know Yukon just announced yesterday that they are opening their parks May 1st. I am wondering if we can jump the gun and do April 30th since that is a Friday.
That, right now, is not in the plan. I, as much as anyone else who has not travelled anywhere, would like to be outside. There is nothing much that I can do, though, and I can't speak to what the situation in the Yukon may be or what their circumstances or facilities may be. For us and for the facilities that we have, for the contractors that we have, they are going to need time, once it thaws enough, to go in there. Mr. Speaker, I suspect it comes back down to outhouses, oddly enough, twice in one day. Not to minimize the other work that needs to get done, but right now, that is the expectation, is that, to get down to work, they need to get done. It's going to be the same opening as usual.
It cost over $200,000 last year when they kept the parks open into the fall, which is not to say that we can't look at whether we can extend the season again, but the traditional opening is there for that reason. We have not had an outpouring of folks asking for the earlier start. We have the very fortunate situation in the North where people can indeed go camping at sites outside of the formal territorial parks, and there are many fine lodges and other staycation opportunities in the Northwest Territories. I know that my news is not necessarily good, but we will have those parks in wonderful working order as soon as the date arrives.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Given that people can't leave the territory this year and they would love to probably be able to camp every single weekend, if possible, is there a plan to offer an incentive to camp more often than not or an incentive to camp at all this summer for NWT residents? Thank you.
Last year, there was a coupon program that encouraged people to stay longer in the parks, and we are looking right now at doing that again. It did seem to be very successful. It was highly subscribed, so while I am not in a position to stand and make any official announcements right now, we certainly are actively looking at doing that again, precisely to encourage people to get out and utilize the facilities of the fantastic parks that we do have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
