Question Period Note: Canada Strong Pass

The Canada Strong Pass is a Government of Canada initiative aimed at strengthening national unity and pride across the country by promoting a sense of belonging, encouraging youth and young families to discover Canadian heritage for free or at a reduced cost, making cultural institutions, natural spaces, and travel experiences more affordable.

• The Canada Strong Pass offered visitor discounts and free admission at select locations in the summer, which encouraged exploration across the country, increased access to cultural experiences, and fostered connections with nature.
• The Canada Strong Pass led to a 13% increase in overall visitation across Parks Canada sites. Participating museums also saw up to 20% increases in overall visitation. Canadians’ enthusiasm for exploring and celebrating their country also supported local communities and businesses across Canada.
• More than two million people visited participating Canadian museums over the summer period, including over 500,000 children who benefited from free admission and more than 115,000 youth who accessed discounted rates. In total, approximately 30% of all museum visits were offered at no cost or at a reduced price.
• The Canada Strong Pass will be continued this winter holiday season and for summer 2026. The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting initiatives that make it more affordable to discover and enjoy Canada.

• The Canada Strong Pass offered the opportunity for Canadians to discover and celebrate Canada. It was implemented in collaboration with the National Museums, the National Battlefields Commission, VIA Rail, Parks Canada and 86 provincial and territorial museums and heritage organizations.
• Between June 20 to September 2, 2025, the Pass provided children free admission to Canada's National Museums, including the Plains of Abraham Museum at the National Battlefields Commission, as well as a 50 percent discount on the admission prices for young adults aged 18 to 24. It further offered free admission to all National Historic Sites, National Parks, Heritage Canals, and National Marine Conservation Areas managed by Parks Canada and offered a 25 percent discount on camping and accommodation fees with applicable rebates, and free seats on VIA Rail trains to children travelling with their parents or guardians and discounts for youth (18 to 24).
• Provincial and territorial museums and heritage organizations were invited to participate in the Pass. In total, 86 organizations from nine different jurisdictions participated. Nunavut and the Northwest Territories did not have qualifying museums, and Quebec and Prince Edward Island chose not to participate.
• With 171 national historic sites, 48 national parks, five national marine conservation areas, and one national urban park, Parks Canada delivers services at over 200 locations across every province and territory.
• Given that summer is a peak revenue earning season for many museums, participating provincial and territorial museums and heritage organizations were able to apply under a temporary initiative of the Museums Assistance Program for funding to help offset lost revenues. Funding was determined by a formula that was shared in advance with organizations and calculated at 15 percent of the previous year’s ticket revenue, up to a maximum of $1 million. National museums were provided funding to offset revenue loss.
• Participating provincial and territorial museums reported an overall increase of nearly 20% for visitors aged 0-17% and nearly 13% for visitors aged 18-24 when compared to the same period in 2024. In total:
o More than 379,000 children enjoyed free admission (about 21% of total visits)
o Over 78,000 youth benefitted from reduced admission (4% of total visits)
o Over 1.8M people in total visited participating provincial and territorial museums during the summer 2025 Canada Strong Pass period.
• The National Museums and the Plains of Abraham Museum had an average increase in attendance of 10-15%.
o Almost 200,000 children enjoyed free admission (about 31% of total visits)
o Almost 37,000 youth benefited from reduced admissions (6% of total visits)
o The total number of visits across all National Museums and the Plains of Abraham Museum was 635,180

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