The Province of Alberta has committed $239 million over the next five years to Alberta Provincial Parks.

The money will be used to improve campsites, hiking trails, shower buildings, playgrounds, more picnic tables and campsites with power, expanded parking lots and refurbished day-use areas throughout the parks system.

Shannon Phillips, Minister of Environment and Parks, said that due to close to one million new residents moving to Alberta in the past decade, past funding barely covered maintenance let alone updates for the increased use.

"Our unprecedented investment in the provincial parks system is an investment in the well-being of Albertans, supports our move toward a diversified economy through increased tourism, and will create hundreds of jobs.”

This investment is part of a grander scheme, including a commitment of $50 million under the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan, $25 million under the the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan, and facility maintenance and capital maintenance will be addressed through $152 million in Capital Maintenance and Renewal (CMR) funding.

Offsetting decades of neglect, a majority of work will be needed on shelters, roads, visitor information centres and water systems that are in poor condition.

Five regions currently manage the provincial park system with all five receiving life-cycle maintenance funding that will address the current priorities.

Over 100 provincial parks, provincial recreation areas and day-use areas will benefit from the governments new maintenance commitment.

For many projects, the regions are still in design and planning stages, while others have already begun construction.