Parks Canada is in search of new ways to make cash.

But to make money, you have to spend money, so Parks is commissioning a $50,000 “revenue generation study” in hopes of identifying new revenue sources to both support its existing operations and enhance visitor experience in Canada’s national parks and historic sites.

According to the request for proposals, which closes Jan. 13, the purpose of the study is to analyze the potential for Parks Canada to “generate increased net revenue from sources that are currently under-performing or are untapped, and to leverage an appropriate return to taxpayers from government investment.”

The study proposal comes at a time when the federal government is looking to make budget cuts across most, if not all, departments, and during a user-fee freeze for national parks and historic sites that is set to last until April 2013. 

So, with user fee increases out of the picture, Parks is looking for other options, including new sources of contributed revenue such as donations, annual giving and fundraising, philanthropy, foundations and corporate donations. The study, to be completed by March 2012, will also look at new sources of revenue from retail opportunities, concessions, Internet activities, licensing and royalties, rentals, membership and public programs.

A possible revenue generator currently in the hands of Parks Canada is the Glacier Discovery Walk – a 400-metre interpretative boardwalk with a glass-floored observation platform suspended 30 metres over the Sunwapta Valley.

During a public forum in Jasper, Shawn Cardiff, an integrated land use planning manager with Parks Canada, said Jasper National Park would receive a percentage of the revenue from the Discovery Walk, but could not reveal how much that would be, as it’s part of a private agreement with Brewster Travel Canada.

The Glacier Discovery Walk has been highly criticized by Jasper residents, among other Canadians, many of whom describe it as an undue privatization of Canada’s national parks.

In an attempt to “Save Jasper National Park,” an online petition, administered by Avaaz, an organization with Canadian roots that promotes political activism online, was launched last Thursday. By Wednesday morning, more than 129,500 people had signed.

Parks Canada responded to the petition in a press release entitled, “Setting the Record Straight.”

In response to the claim that approval of the Discovery Walk would be approving the privatization of a piece of the park, the federal agency wrote: “All lands in Jasper National Park remain under the ownership of the people of Canada, through Parks Canada, as enshrined in law through the Canadian National Parks Act.”

Greg Fenton, superintendent of Jasper National Park, is charged with the task of deciding whether the development should go ahead or not. His decision is expected later this month. When released it will be posted on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry.

Parks Canada is responsible for 42 national parks, 167 national historic sites and three marine conservation areas.

Visitors to all Canadian national parks and historic sites dropped seven per cent to 20.2 million in 2010-11, from 21.8 million in 2006-07.

Between 2010-11, Jasper National Park saw an increase of visitors, recording more than 1.9 million, compared to 1.87 million between 2009-10 and 1.867 million between 2008-09. 

That number is still down, though, from the 2.05 million visitors the park saw between 2007-08.

Of Parks Canada’s total revenue of $113.4-million for 2010-11, $78.8-million is generated from park and historic site visits. The remainder of Parks’ revenues comes from rental, business and services fees.

By press time, Parks Canada had not returned phone calls to comment on the revenue generating study.