Policies and procedures

Fees for your event, including admission, are due 10 business days before your event. Payment can be made by credit card over the phone or by mailing a cheque (made payable to The Receiver General for Canada). Payments by cash or debit card are available in person and are by appointment only in the off-season (early September to mid-May).

You will receive a Special Event Activity License thirty (30) days before your event. Upon receipt of this permit, you will have ten (10) days to sign and return a copy. You will also need to provide your proof of insurance and any relevant permits (i.e. tent inspection, SOCAN, local noise permit) at this time. After you have signed the permit, adjustments to the guest count, heritage programming, resources and equipment may be possible, but you will need to discuss with your Parks Canada contact.

In the unfortunate event that you choose to cancel your conference, you will be charged for any services rendered during the planning process. If you have paid the balance of fees, a portion of the fees will be refunded. Additionally, you will forfeit a portion of your fees should your event be cancelled because you have not secured any necessary permits and insurance and provided copies to Lower Fort Garry at least 10 days before your event.

You will receive a full refund should your event be cancelled, at the discretion of Parks Canada, due to acts of God/Force Majeure, including: fire, flooding, etc. We handle postponements and cancellations on a case-by-case basis, attempting a fair resolution between our clients and Lower Fort Garry.

If you wish to have your event in a tent, you are responsible for the tent rental and you may be responsible for renting tables and chairs if your guest list exceeds our available supply. You are responsible for returning the site to its original state, including ensuring the removal of all garbage; otherwise, a cleaning fee will be assessed. Parks Canada will work with you to select an approved location for your tent. Tents set up at Lower Fort Garry must have overnight security starting the day of set-up.

If your outdoor event exceeds the capacity of the site’s electrical system, you will need to provide a generator. Generators and fuel-powered heaters must have a spill guard installed underneath them to prevent fuel spills and ground contamination. Outdoor events may be required to provide additional portable toilets and handwash stations.

Event organizers are required to obtain general liability insurance for the event. This insurance policy must be provided to your Parks Canada contact at least ten (10) business days prior to the event. Otherwise, the function will be cancelled.

Contractors and delivery personnel will have vehicle access to the event location to drop off necessary supplies. All vehicles must be removed from the grounds to the designated parking areas immediately following the delivery of required materials. Vehicles cannot stay parked on the historic grounds or adjacent to the Picnic Shelter.

Event attendees are not permitted to park along the service road near the Picnic Shelter. Guests with mobility needs must be dropped off and vehicles must be returned to the parking lot promptly. Unauthorized vehicles parked along the service road or near the Picnic Shelter may be towed.

A minimum of one week before your event, you must provide Parks Canada with the contact information and expected arrival times of all contractors and suppliers who will require access to the event (including during setup and teardown). Examples include: tent and chair/table rentals, audiovisual suppliers, security services, portable sanitation rentals, and catering companies.

Events typically require many hours of work throughout the planning process and execution of the event. Your Parks Canada contact will work to communicate with you regularly and promptly during the event planning process. They will do their best to respond to you within two working days. Most events have between 1.5 to 5 hours of planning time allocated during the initial quote, depending on the complexity of the event. If your event requires additional support and planning, it may increase your fees.