Visitor Safety Responsibility
Your Partner: Parks Canada
Visitors and winter sunset in Wapusk National Park © Parks Canada
Parks Canada is responsible for providing a visitor safety program that deals with the specific incidents and issues encountered within each heritage area. Although there is national coordination of the visitor safety program, levels of service and methods of dealing with incidents vary from one heritage area to the next.
As your partner in safety, Parks Canada wants to help you enjoy your trip and stay safe. To help ensure the safety of our visitors, Parks Canada engages in visitor risk management and visitor safety planning, builds and maintains facilities (such as hazard signs and fenced compounds), and works with other government departments and non-governmental agencies to provide trip planning and safety information, as well as search and rescue services.
Your Responsibility as a Visitor
Parks Canada also recognizes that visitors have a certain responsibility for their own safety, and that risk management must become an integral part of their experience. While some visitors recognize the risks involved in outdoor recreation, and are prepared for their adventures, many others don't know what they're getting into. That means they're unable to choose effectively between taking a smart risk and a foolhardy one. The rising popularity of adventure travel and outdoor pursuits makes it particularly important to ensure that visitors take responsibility for their own safety. Parks Canada asks that you share the responsibility for your visit to protected heritage areas to help ensure a safe, enjoyable and memorable visit.
Wapusk National Park offers spectacular scenery, wildlife, and opportunities to experience northern culture and history. The remoteness of this area and limited rescue capabilities increase the risk from natural hazards. Be prepared to deal with extreme weather, unpredictable terrain and travel in polar bear country. Visitors are strongly encouraged to use the services of a licensed commercial operator when travelling in Wapusk National Park.
Things to think about: