If the seagulls thought they were going to have the beach to themselves in Pointe-du-Chêne, N.B., Thursday, they thought wrong. It wasn’t a sea of humanity at Parlee Beach Provincial Park like it usually is in July and August, but there were a handful of people walking in the sand. Irina Valiakhmecova and her grandson pretty much had a whole section of the beach to themselves. “The weather and the ocean and my grandson. He loves playing in the sand,” said Valiakhmecova. In April, the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture announced the tourism season at Parlee would be extended until Oct. 12 to help boost tourism in the region. The season previously closed in early September. The province spent $100,000 for the extension as part of the provincial tourism strategy, which aims to increase annual revenues by $1 billion. Kristina Corum and Karen Andrews were visiting from Prince George, B.C. “We were here 20 years ago when our kids were little and we’re back here travelling around Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and we wanted to check it out today,” said Andrews. Corum said they came to see the fall colours in the region and enjoy the East Coast hospitality. Both were happy and a bit surprised the park was still open. “Having access to washrooms and to support provincial parks is always a good initiative,” said Corum. Michelle Cotter from Colborne, Ont., came to visit her cousin Linda Doiron who lives nearby. Cotter came for nostalgic reasons because she used to bring her kids to the beach. “We used to come every year. They have lots of memories of being here on the beach,” said Cotter. Sam Simpson was enjoying the fresh air and a little sand between the toes. Simpson lives in a van and travels around the country. “It’s so great because it’s actually open. The restroom and the shower, I took advantage of the shower earlier today. No cost even to shower. A lot of times it’s a coin, this one’s free, and use the toilets of course,” said Simpson. “I don’t know how many kilometres of sand there is, but if it was a sunny day you’d think you were in Mexico.” Shediac Mayor Patricia Bourque-Chevarie said extending the season at Parlee is great for the community. “It helps attract visitors later into the fall, supports local businesses and reinforces the importance of tourism to Shediac’s economy,” said Bourque-Chevarie in an email. “Visitors can now enjoy beautiful September days at the beach while taking part in popular events like the Hom’Art Festival and the Blues Crawl. It’s truly the best of both worlds.” CTV News requested an interview with the park manager, but a provincial spokesperson said he wasn’t available. In an email, Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture spokesperson Jennifer Vienneau said they continue to see a steady stream of visitors entering the park, but as the season is ongoing, they do not yet have final numbers. According to data provided by the province, there have been more than 300,000 visitors to Parlee between April 1 and Aug. 31 for the past three years, including 363,885 in 2025. Vienneau said the park may retain some staff beyond the summer season depending on capital projects and operational needs, but she wasn’t able to provide an accurate number of staff retained specifically as a result of the season being extended. For some locals who have access to the beach all summer long, they’re used to not paying for parking in the fall. “Well, I was kind of surprised this morning when we came down and saw the lady at the booth and I had to pay $16 to park my vehicle. That’s a bit of a shock,” said Doiron. But Doiron thinks it’s great a few park employees get to have their season of work extended. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
