Day passes for parking at Mount Seymour soon required

A snowshoer takes in one of the scenic vistas while snowshoeing on Mount Seymour, in North Vancouver, on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016. (Jonathan Hayward / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Parking passes will once again be required for people visiting Mount Seymour Provincial Park, with the requirement coming into effect on Dec. 15.

The day-pass requirement means anyone planning on parking their vehicle between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. needs to go online in advance and book a spot.

The reservation system was introduced in 2021, after the park experienced issues in 2020 with "limited parking spots, as well as congested roads and facilities," the province said in a statement.

The pass is only needed for those using the park and backcountry areas not covered by tickets purchased through the Mount Seymour ski resort.

Passes are available two days before a planned visit, with the option of booking a morning slot from 7 a.m. to noon, an afternoon slot from noon to 4 p.m., or both.

Because cell service in the park is patchy, the province also urges people to book and download or print the pass before they head to the mountain.

Similar pass programs are in place for provincial parks during the summer, an approach piloted during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The free vehicle passes are part of a comprehensive strategy to protect nature and improve access to popular provincial parks and trails," the announcement from the province says.

Feedback on the day pass program can also be provided online.