📅 April 2026 | Ottawa, ON
In partnership with the RVDA of Canada, CCRVA brings our members' voices to Parliament Hill each year. Board members meet with MPs, Senators, and ministerial staff to advance the policy issues that keep Canada's campgrounds open and camping accessible to all Canadians. The 2026 advocacy priorities are outlined below.
Industry Economic Impact
2026 Advocacy Priorities
CCRVA is advancing three priority files with the new federal government in 2026. Each issue directly affects the viability of Canada's private campgrounds — and the ability of Canadians to access affordable, accessible outdoor recreation from coast to coast.
Amend the Income Tax Act to classify small, family-run campgrounds with fewer than five full-time year-round employees as active businesses, making them eligible for the Small Business Deduction.
The Income Tax Act currently classifies small, family-run campgrounds as "Specified Investment Businesses" — the same category as rental properties and investment portfolios — despite the fact that running a campground is entirely hands-on, requiring year-round management, seasonal staffing, and active guest services. As a result, campground owners face a tax rate of up to 50%, compared to the 15% Small Business Deduction available to virtually every other small business in Canada. Compounding this issue, the application of this classification is not consistent — campground operators are subject to case-by-case reassessments by the CRA, creating significant uncertainty across the sector. This lack of predictability makes it difficult for operators to plan, invest, and operate with confidence, despite running fundamentally active, service-based businesses. When campground owners cannot reinvest with confidence, the impact is felt by campers: prices rise, services decline, and parks close. This fix requires no new spending — it simply levels the playing field and gives campground operators the same fair, predictable tax treatment as every other small business in Canada.
Address the growing electrical supply gap in rural and remote Canada — through grid upgrades, public-private partnerships, strategic investment, and targeted incentives — so that campgrounds can continue to serve Canadians as demand for power grows and EV travel becomes the norm.
The challenge facing rural campgrounds is not simply a matter of funding EV chargers — it is a fundamental electrical supply problem. Many rural and remote campgrounds already operate at or near the limit of available grid capacity, and that gap will only widen as power demand continues to grow. EV adoption, increasingly power-dependent RV technology, and heightened guest expectations are accelerating a crisis that already exists. Without action to stimulate overall electrical supply and grid capacity in rural Canada, campgrounds will be unable to meet current demand — let alone future needs. This is a systemic infrastructure issue that requires a comprehensive response: grid upgrades, strategic investment, public-private partnerships with utility providers, incentives for operators who invest in upgrades, and applied research into off-grid solutions for the most remote settings. Campgrounds cannot solve a supply-side infrastructure problem on their own, and the Canadians who depend on them for affordable outdoor recreation will bear the cost if government does not act.
Establish a Disaster Mitigation and Business Relief Fund (DMBRF) specifically designed for seasonal campground operations — providing timely recovery funding and proactive mitigation support so that camping destinations can survive and reopen after disasters.
Canada's wildfire and flood seasons are intensifying — and campgrounds, located in the forests and along the waterways Canadians love most, are on the front lines. When a campground is destroyed, most government disaster relief programs don't apply because they're designed for year-round businesses. Seasonal operators fall outside the eligibility window and are largely left on their own. Many never reopen. When a campground closes permanently after a disaster, the loss isn't just a business loss — it's a loss of access to a destination that communities and families have relied on, sometimes for generations. A dedicated DMBRF would provide timely recovery support and fund proactive measures that help campgrounds withstand future disasters.
Previous Advocacy Days
In 2024, CCRVA and RVDA of Canada representatives met with Parliamentarians on April 17th to advance three priority issues: Small Business Qualification for Campgrounds (Income Tax Act amendment), Campground Expansion, Addition & Improvements, Disaster Mitigation and Business Relief Funding, and Electrical Infrastructure Improvements.
The 2024 session marked a significant step in building parliamentary relationships around the campground tax classification issue, laying the groundwork for the 2026 advocacy frame.
Representatives from the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) of Canada and the Canadian Camping and RV Association (CCRVA) met virtually with Parliamentarians to discuss the recovery measures needed to support the RV and camping industry post-pandemic, and the need for implementation of a fair tax regime for campgrounds across Canada.
The pandemic significantly disrupted global supply chains and the RV sector. RV sales were down as a result of COVID-related lockdowns and mandated shutdowns, with inventory and supply chain challenges continuing to affect dealers. "There is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel but we are not out of the woods yet. With the vaccination campaign ramping up, the federal government needs to focus on providing ongoing support to struggling businesses and on targeted recovery support for key sectors such as the RV and camping sector," said Gord Bragg, Chairman of the Board of RVDA.
In 2019, the RV industry supported 67,200 jobs and $6.2 billion in total spending, with over 4,231 campgrounds operated across Canada. Over 5.8 million Canadians — 22% of the adult population — enjoyed camping as a lifestyle, with private campgrounds offering an affordable, community-building activity for middle-class families particularly valued during pandemic travel restrictions.
Issues and Policies
1. Small Business Tax Classification
CCRVA strongly advocated that the Government of Canada recognize the income earned by campgrounds as "active business income" for the purpose of determining eligibility for the Small Business Deduction. Small private campgrounds faced a potential near-300% tax increase under the "Specified Investment Business" classification — an ambiguous designation subject to arbitrary determination by the CRA. "This represents a significant concern not only to small private campgrounds, but also to the entire RV and camping industry," said Robert Trask, Chairman of CCRVA. The threat of reassessment caused campground owners to hold back infrastructure investments and additional seasonal hiring at a time when the camping industry had become more important than ever.
2. Campground Expansion and Infrastructure
At a time when RV activities were increasing, the number of available camping destinations was declining. Campsites across Canada were booked months in advance, pointing to an urgent need for new and expanded destinations. CCRVA asked government to work alongside the industry to increase the number of Federal, Provincial, and private campsites, and to support infrastructure improvements including Wi-Fi, services, and EV-ready upgrades in RV parks. CCRVA also called for increased funding to Destination Canada to promote domestic tourism.
"Together, the RV and campground industries play an important role in the health of Canada's tourism sector and make a significant contribution to Canada's economy. The need to develop policies that support all travel and tourism, and recognize RVing as a prosperous tourism activity post-pandemic, are essential to the RV industry," concluded Trask.
Representatives from the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) of Canada and the Canadian Camping and RV Association (CCRVA) visited Parliament Hill on May 2nd, 2019 to discuss the impacts of the steel and aluminum tariffs on the industry and the need for implementation of a fair tax regime for small private campgrounds across Canada.
The RV sector, like many other industries, is part of an integrated North American market. With 95% of RV products imported from the United States, steel and aluminum are major components for RV production, and increased costs from tariffs had a significant impact on product affordability. CCRVA and RVDA advocated that the Government of Canada maintain pressure on the US to lift the steel and aluminum tariffs, and that ratification of CUSMA in Canada be contingent on their removal.
On the campground tax file, CCRVA continued to advocate for changes to the Income Tax Act that would clearly distinguish small, family-run campgrounds with fewer than five full-time employees as "active businesses" eligible for the small business tax rate. "As it stands, small campgrounds are faced with a potential 300% tax increase and it remains a significant threat not only to small private campgrounds but also to the entire RV and camping industry," said Robert Trask, CCRVA's Chairman.
"A fair tax regime by the Canada Revenue Agency is critical for Canadian Private Campgrounds to make the necessary investments and infrastructural upgrades that enable Canadians and visitors alike to experience all that Canada has to offer," continued Trask.
RVing and Camping in Canada generate considerable economic benefits. In 2017, the RV industry supported 66,000 jobs and $6.1 billion in total spending, with over 4,231 campgrounds — including 2,347 privately owned — operating across Canada.