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According to Minh Truong, director of park experiences with the provincial government, all of the increases came about simply because of the rising costs associated with operating the parks.

He pointed to improvements to safety features, washrooms, playgrounds, roads, boat launches, electrical systems and more as some of the items in which the government has invested in recent years

He noted the province’s parks already have more interest in seasonal sites than can be accommodated. He said even with the increases, camping in Saskatchewan is still an affordable option for many residents.

Booking seasonal campsites — which allows for long-term summer camping from mid-May to August or, in some instances, September — online will be moved to a reservation system instead of the previous lottery program, which allowed campers to enter a draw for the sites. In a news release, the province said a queuing system will be used to “ensure a fair process.” For seasonal campsites, customers will be able to book for only one person in one campsite with one payment. Reservations for seasonal campsites will open April 2 at 7 a.m. Group campsites will be able to be booked through the online reservation system as of April 4.

The province is also launching an upgraded and improved website for online reservations. The booking system had not been updated since 2012 and the new system is currently undergoing “rigorous” testing to ensure the site does not cause problems for campers as it has in years past.