The entrance to the Pine Lake Campground. Photo Courtesy of CKRW.
Whitehorse, YT – The Yukon Ombudsman’s office has concluded that the Department of Environment’s failure to properly address site-saving practices at Yukon Parks campgrounds is unfair to campers.
A formal investigation was kickstarted by a complaint about site-saving, where visitors reserve a campsite without occupying it, revealed the department’s inadequate tracking of the issue created a lack of accountability.
Tara Martin, the Deputy Ombudsman, highlights that there are rules against site saving but a lack of collected data often means enforcement isn’t done effectively.
“Without that, in the field when you’re making decisions about what to do about a site-saving incident, it could lead to gaps and that, in our view, could lead to an unfairness,” said Martin.
Six recommendations came from the formal investigation and all were accepted by the department for implementation by the 2025 camping season.
These include improving complaint tracking, auditing the online reservation system and enforcing the 24-hour rule more effectively.
Ahead of the changes, Yukon Parks plans to introduce new regulations, public awareness campaigns and a central database.
The Yukon Ombudsman’s Office plans to follow up with the department to ensure the recommendations are implemented.
