Read this first

This page is a practical planning overview, not legal advice. Wild camping legality can change by land manager, municipality, protected-area status, and season.

Always verify current official guidance for your exact overnight location before you pitch a tent.

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Planning guidance

Canada does not have one national wild-camping rule. A practical example is Ontario Crown land policy, where camping is generally free on most Crown land with conditions.

Typical Ontario rules include:

• Up to 21 days on one site in a calendar year, then move at least 100 meters.
• Some non-residents of Canada need a permit in specific northern zones.
• Additional local or posted restrictions still apply.

Useful detail for planning:

• The permit requirement is targeted (not universal across all of Canada), which is why province-level checks matter.
• Some land categories allow recreation generally but still prohibit camping specifically.

Planning takeaway: Treat Canada as province-by-province. Check provincial rules and the exact land category before assuming wild camping is legal.

Canada (British Columbia parks and mountain areas)

For mountain travel in British Columbia, official provincial guidance points hikers to BC Parks systems for camping access, reservations, and active advisories. In practice this means legal/operational status can change by park, season, and advisory level.

Useful detail for planning:

• BC Parks reservation and advisory systems are a key pre-trip check for mountain routes.
• Park and site rules can differ across jurisdictions (provincial park, recreation site/trail, national park).
• Mountain-area planning should combine route choice with current advisories and site availability.

Planning takeaway: In BC mountain regions, treat booking/advisory systems as part of legal compliance, not only convenience.