Offering free passage through the Trent Severn Waterway appears to be paying off for Parks Canada.
As of July 31, Chad Buchner, manager of operations, says 76,095 boats passed through the locks. This is a 26 per cent increase over 2016.
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The number of people using the waterway is up even with some poor weather conditions, and a navigation season that opened a week late.
“This is our peak season right now,” says Buchner.
To mark Canada’s 150th birthday, lockage permits are being issued at no cost.
Buchner says more than 36,000 permits have been issued so far this season which will close on Thanksgiving weekend.