Cancellations and refunds

BC Parks can only refund the camping fees that pay for the use of your campsite and other facilities. In most cases, we cannot refund the transaction fees that pay for use of the reservation service. To learn more about the difference between camping fees and transaction fees, see the camping fees page.

Some money may be deducted from any fees we refund to you. For more information, see deductions, below.

Deductions

For each cancellation that results in a refund, you are charged a $6 (plus tax) cancellation fee. This is a transaction fee charged on a per campsite or tent pad basis. If you do not receive a refund for your cancellation, we do not charge this cancellation fee.

Each type of reservation (frontcountry, backcountry, group) has a cancellation window. This determines how much you are refunded, based on when you cancel. If you cancel close to your arrival date, additional fees may be deducted from your refund. For specific details, visit the cancellation windows page.

You may be eligible for a refund:

• If we close your campground
• If you cancel your reservation

If we close your campground

If we close your campground before you arrive, we refund your camping and transaction fees. If we close your campground during your stay, we refund camping and transaction fees you have paid for any remaining nights.

In these circumstances, camping and transaction fees are automatically refunded to your card. You do not need to cancel your reservation or apply for a refund. There is no cancellation fee.

These are the only circumstances under which we can provide a full refund of all your camping and transaction fees.

If you cancel your reservation

To get a refund in any other circumstance, you must cancel your reservation. How you get your refund will depend on:

• If you cancel before you arrive at the campground
• If you cancel after you arrive at the campground

If you cancel before you arrive at the campground

In most cases, you can cancel your reservation before your scheduled arrival via camping.bcparks.ca or by calling 1-800-689-9025 (1-519-858-6161 internationally). Contacting the park operator or emailing BC Parks is not considered a cancellation.

Only eligible camping fees, which pay for the use of your campsite and other facilities, are refunded. The transaction fees that pay for use of the reservation service are not refunded. Some money may also be deducted from your refund.

For more details, see what gets refunded, above. To learn more about the difference between camping fees and transaction fees, see the camping fees page. For information on what gets deducted, see deductions, above.

Changing your arrival date is effectively a cancellation. For example, if you change a booking to arrive two nights later, you cancel your first two nights. At most parks, you cannot change a reservation after 8 pm two days before your arrival.

If you qualify for a refund but do not receive one automatically, you can apply online. To learn more, see if you need to apply for a refund, below.

If you cancel after you arrive at the campground

After you arrive at the park, you cannot apply for a refund online. The grounds for a refund outlined on this page do not apply. You must attempt to cancel your reservation, then request a refund directly from the park operator. To get the email address or phone number for your park operator, find the park’s webpage.

When you leave a campground early, refunds are entirely at the park operator’s discretion. In most cases, the park operator will not be able to give you a refund.

If you need to apply for a refund

Even if you make every effort to cancel your reservation before arriving, you may not automatically receive a full refund. In most cases, some fees will be deducted from your refund. In some cases, you may receive no fund at all.

For information on circumstances when you may receive a reduced refund, see deductions, above.

You may still be eligible for a refund of camping fees. If you meet any of the criteria outlined in grounds for a refund, below, you can apply for a refund. To apply, fill out our online reservation refund application form.

Applying does not guarantee a refund. We assess your application, based on the criteria in grounds for a refund, below. You must apply within three months of your scheduled arrival and show you meet all the following conditions. You:

• Cancelled your reservation
• Checked the park webpage for updates that may have affected your trip
• Have grounds for a refund according to the policies outlined below 
• Provided any documentation required to prove you are eligible

Apply for a refund

If you receive a refund after applying, only camping fees, which pay for your campsite and other facilities, are refunded. The transaction fees that pay for using the reservation service cannot be refunded under any of the circumstances outlined below.

Transaction fees are only refunded if we cancel your reservation (due to a park closure or similar). For full information on what can and cannot be refunded, see what gets refunded, above. For more information on the difference between camping fees and transaction fees, see the camping fees page.

To be eligible for a refund, you must cancel your reservation. Contacting the park operator or BC Parks does not count as a cancellation. You must also apply within three months of your scheduled arrival date.  

For full details of the criteria for a refund, please download the reservation services policies and terms [PDF].

Incorrect charges

On very rare occasions, the reservation service experiences technical problems that cause incorrect charges. In these cases, you are eligible for a refund of any extra fees the reservation service charged you in error. Errors you make while booking are not grounds for a refund.

Park conditions that prevent access or cause evacuations

If you cannot enter a park or are evacuated because of an emergency, you may be eligible for a refund. It is your responsibility to check the park’s webpage for updates on any closures and evacuations.

Poor air quality

In some cases, we will consider poor air quality as grounds for a refund. To qualify, you must cancel your reservation within one week of your scheduled arrival date. Also, the BC Air Quality Health Index rating nearest the park must be seven or more on the day you cancelled.

Serious medical issue

We can only consider an application related to a serious medical issue if you supply the required documentation.

You may be eligible for a refund if a serious and unexpected medical issue requires you to cancel your trip. You must still attempt to cancel your reservation in advance.

You must provide official proof that a registered member of your party had an issue that stopped you from using your reservation. Acceptable proof includes hospital documentation or a doctor’s note on clinic letterhead. Medical documentation must align with the cancellation or arrival dates.

Death in the family 

We can only consider an application related to a death in the family if you supply the required documentation.

We will refund camping fees if a death in your immediate family requires you to cancel a trip. You must provide a death certificate or obituary, dated near your arrival date, that demonstrates your relationship to the deceased.

An immediate family member is defined as: a parent, spouse, child, grandchild, grandparent, brother, sister, father-in-law, mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, or any other relative permanently living in your household.

Serious motor vehicle accident

We can only consider an application related to a serious motor vehicle accident if you supply the required documentation.

If a serious car accident prevents your party from using your reservation, you may be eligible for a refund. An accident report, dated near your arrival or cancellation date, is required to support the application.

Apply for a refund

Leaving early

If you voluntarily leave your campsite early, you are not eligible to receive a refund. You are only eligible if you meet one of the criteria outlined in grounds for a refund, above.

Wildlife

Wild animals, including bears, squirrels, and raccoons, coming into the campground is not grounds for a refund. The presence of insects or rodents in the campground is also not grounds for a refund.

You will receive a refund if the presence of wild animals causes the park to be closed for safety reasons. It is your responsibility to check the park’s webpage for closures or evacuations.

Weather and environmental conditions

Bad weather, including cold, rain, wind, hail, snow, heat, and flooding, is not grounds for a refund. This is the case even when a weather warning has been issued. You must check the park’s webpage for alerts related to extreme weather.  

Wildfire smoke is only grounds for a refund when the BC Air Quality Health Index rating is seven or more. See poor air quality, above, to learn more.

Smoke from nearby wildfires that results in less than seven on the BC Air Quality Health Index is not grounds for a refund. It is your responsibility to check the park’s webpage for alerts related to wildfires.  

Park conditions and customer service

We cannot consider applications for refunds related to park conditions or customer service issues. Any complaints must be addressed directly to the park operator. For park operator contact information, check the park’s webpage.

General illness or preexisting conditions

Illness not requiring immediate medical attention and preexisting conditions triggered by the park environment are not grounds for a refund. We can only issue medical refunds under circumstances outlined in grounds for a refund, above.

Error making a reservation

Refunds cannot be given for errors that customers make on their reservations. However, if a technical problem in our reservation system causes an error, we will consider a refund. For more information, see incorrect charges, above.

Equipment failure or change of plans

We cannot give refunds for cancellations related to vehicle breakdowns or other equipment failure. Changes in personal circumstances, like getting called into work or childcare arrangements falling through, are not grounds for a refund.

Cancellation window

The cancellation window for the type of reservation you have booked may also prevent you from being eligible for a refund. For full information, see the cancellation windows page.

For full details of our cancellation and refund policies, download the reservation services policies and terms [PDF].