RV Camping Statistics in Canada

At a Glance

• One in four Canadians (25%) had been RVing as of 2025, and another 44% were interested in trying it¹.
• 32,097 RVs were shipped wholesale into Canada in 2025, up 5.8% on 2024².
• Banff National Park drew a record 4.52 million visitors in 2025³.
• 1.43 million Canadian households mainly camped in an RV in 2023, out of 6.25 million households that went camping⁴.
• About 2.1 million households (14%) owned an RV in 2022, taking an estimated 6.3 million RV trips⁵.
• RV travelers spent $10.3 billion on trips in Canada in 2022: $8.4 billion by owners and $1.9 billion by renters⁵.
• The combined RV and camping industry generated $28.8 billion in economic activity and supported 141,400 jobs⁵.
• Towable RV vacations cost 7–71% less than family trips built around flights, hotels or Airbnbs⁶.
• 44% of Canadian campers were under 35 in 2023, up from 28% a decade earlier⁴.

One in four Canadians (25%) had been RVing as of 2025, and another 44% were interested in trying it¹. Around 1.4 million Canadian households mainly go camping in an RV, out of 6.25 million households that camp.

• 1.43 million households mainly camped in an RV in 2023, down from 1.79 million in 2022⁴.
• Camping of any kind fell 8%, from 6.79 million households in 2022 to 6.25 million in 2023⁴.
• Canada’s 2.1 million RV-owning households took an estimated 6.3 million RV trips in 2022⁵.
• New camping households in 2023 were still double the 2019 level, after a surge of first-time campers during the pandemic⁴.

Latest available: 2023 for household figures. KOA's 2025 and 2026 reports don't publish Canadian household numbers.

RV owners spent $8.4 billion on RV trips in Canada in 2022, and renters a further $1.9 billion⁵.

• Average RV trip spending rose 117%, from $60 per person per night in 2010 to $130 in 2022⁵.
• RV-owning households also spend around $1,700 a year on maintenance, insurance and storage⁵.

Economic Impact of RV Camping

• RV tourism generated $10.3 billion in direct spending⁵ in 2022.
• The combined RV and camping industry generated $28.8 billion⁵ in economic activity and supported 141,400 jobs.
• The industry contributed $16.2 billion in GDP⁵ and $7.6 billion in tax revenue.

Latest available: 2022. The RVDA's 2023 Economic Impact Study is the newest edition.

Renting a budget or mid-range camper in Canada typically costs about CA$100–110 per day in the cheapest month and CA$250–290 per day at the summer peak, based on Camper Champ's price checks of 7-day hires from six pickup cities in November 2026⁹.

• Vancouver: from CA$110/day (December 2026) to CA$287/day (July 2027)
• Calgary: from CA$100/day (December 2026) to CA$271/day (August 2027)
• Toronto: from CA$102/day (April 2027) to CA$251/day (September 2027)
• Montreal: from CA$101/day (April 2027) to CA$259/day (August 2027)
• Edmonton: from CA$107/day (May 2027) to CA$266/day (August 2027)
• Halifax: from CA$104/day (April 2027) to CA$258/day (August 2027)

Picking up in April or May costs less than half the peak summer rate in all six cities. Prices are the typical daily rate rental companies quoted for budget and mid-range campers.

KOA's camping surveys don't count RV campers separately, so the figures below cover all Canadian campers, whether they stay in tents, RVs or cabins.

Income

• 29% of Canadian camping households earned $100,000 or more in 2025, down from 33% in 2024¹⁰.
• Middle-income households ($50,000–$74,999) made up the largest share of new Canadian campers in 2025, at 35%¹⁰.

Travel Preferences

• Half of Canadian campers (50%) say they are less likely to travel to the U.S. than two years ago, and nearly six in ten are likely to choose a domestic camping trip over a hotel or resort stay¹⁰.
• Nearly a quarter (23%) of Canadian campers traveled more than 200 miles from home to camp in 2023⁴.
• Campers tend to prefer remote, natural settings, but they also use free sites, designated campsites and holiday parks.

Age Groups

• 44% of Canadian campers were under 35 in 2023, up from 28% ten years earlier⁴.

Families

• 50% of Canadian campers camped with children in 2023, up from 39% in 2014⁴.

Latest available: 2023 for age, families and trip distance. KOA's 2026 report doesn't repeat these Canadian figures.

How many RV campgrounds are there in Canada?

• Statistics Canada counted 2,992 RV park and campground business locations in Canada in June 2026: 1,476 with employees¹⁴ and 1,516 without¹⁵.
• Ontario has more than 100 provincial parks with car camping¹⁶, and Alberta has more than 250 frontcountry campgrounds¹⁷.
• Canada has 48 national parks and national park reserves¹⁸, and Parks Canada runs frontcountry campgrounds in nearly 30 of them¹⁹.

Are there free RV camping options in Canada?

• 89% of Canada is Crown land²⁰, and free camping is allowed on much of it.
• Retailers such as Walmart and Canadian Tire may allow overnight parking at some stores.
• Municipal visitor centers and small towns offer free or low-cost RV parking.

How much do RV campsites cost in Canada?

Prices are per night, in Canadian dollars.

• National parks: $40 for an electrical site and $47.25 for full hook-ups at Banff's Tunnel Mountain campground²¹.
• Provincial parks: $43.79–$59.33 for an electrical site at Ontario Parks in 2026, including HST²². Alberta Parks charges $8–$31 for a basic site, plus $8 for each hook-up²³.
• Private RV parks: set their own rates. A full hook-up site costs $72–$82 in 2026 at Tomahawk R.V. Park on Lake of the Woods, Ontario²⁴.
• RV parks in tourist hot spots: can top $100. Capilano River RV Park near Vancouver charged $94–$114 for a full hook-up site in summer 2026, plus GST²⁵.

RV Camping Trends in 2026

Based on KOA's 2026 Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report, which surveyed campers about 2025:

• Budget caution: 45% of Canadian campers say economic uncertainty is delaying their 2026 bookings, and only about one in four is confident in the economy¹⁰.
• Competition from trips abroad: one in four Canadians chose international travel over camping in 2025¹⁰.
• Lesser-known places: 58% say the chance to explore off-the-beaten-path places in Canada makes them more likely to camp¹⁰.
• A more diverse camper base: a quarter of new Canadian campers are Asian, and the number of Asian Canadian campers rose 17% in 2025¹⁰.
• More people want to rent: across North America, 48% of campers say they are very likely to rent an RV in 2026, with interest highest among younger campers¹⁰.
• Wi-Fi keeps RVers out longer: North American RVers camp about 9.3 more nights a year when Wi-Fi is available¹⁰.