Canada Camping Statistics

Camping in Canada has long been a popular outdoor activity and has grown in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article provides an overview of recent camping statistics in Canada, highlighting growth, participation rates, and demographic trends.

Just under 6.3 million Canadian households (6.25 million active camping households) participated in camping in 2023.¹

• This marked a 28% increase from 4.9 million households in 2019 and a 8% decrease from the peak of 6.8 million active camping households in 2022.¹

• Although exact figures for Canada are not available, in North America, campers spent an average of $156 per day, excluding accommodation, during camping trips in 2023.²

Privately owned campgrounds accounted for 31% of camping nights in Canada in 2023, making them the most popular choice among campers.¹

• Provincial park campgrounds were the next most popular, comprising 18% of camping nights, followed by national park campgrounds at 12%.
• Other locations included privately owned land at 13% (plus 7% on private land booked through a listing), public land other than campgrounds at 4%, and backcountry or wilderness areas at 5%.
• The remaining 10% included camping in municipal campgrounds, state park campgrounds and street camping, such as in parking lots or roadside areas.

Camping in Canada has grown in popularity, especially in recent years as outdoor activities became more popular during the pandemic.

• In 2021, camping reached a peak, with over 1 million new Canadian households engaging in the activity (a 35% increase from 2020).¹

The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in camping activity in Canada.

• New camping households rose to 784,613 in 2020, more than triple the 195,038 households in 2019, marking a 302% increase.¹
• Growth continued in 2021, with new camping households reaching a peak of 1,058,976.
• The pandemic also influenced work habits, with 50% of Canadian campers in 2022 working remotely while camping, up from 27% in 2021 and 29% in 2020. Although this percentage dropped to 28% in 2023, the trend shows a shift toward combining work and leisure time.