Commercial Vehicle Operator Information
Banff National Park
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are two of the busiest destinations across Canada. Demand to access these sites is high, and Parks Canada is taking action to improve safety and visitor experience. Learn about how commercial vehicle operators can access Lake Louise and Moraine Lake below.
For information on commercial vehicle operators providing services in Banff National Park, visit explorethepark.ca.
Lake Louise
What vehicles are permitted to travel on Lake Louise Drive?
All vehicles are permitted to travel on Lake Louise Drive, however there may be times where the volume of traffic is too high, and all vehicles are redirected away from Lake Louise and onto the Trans-Canada Highway. Parks Canada cannot guarantee that access to roadways or parking will be available for any visitors, regardless of whether or not they are a commercial vehicle operator.
What happens if the parking is full?
If all commercial vehicle parking is full, no additional parking will be made available. Operators will be given access to drop off their passengers but they will not be able to remain on site. Arrangements must be made to organize a pick-up time with the group and the vehicle will be required to leave the parking area until the scheduled pick up time. There will be a 10-minute maximum allowance for passenger drop off and pick up.
Business licences do not give the licence any rights for guaranteed or priority of access in the national park, which includes parking. Parking in Banff National Park is on a first-come, first-served basis, which includes all commercial vehicles. Parking on road shoulders is illegal.
When deemed necessary for park management purposes, the Superintendent may close any area to public use or traffic, including access or parking.
I am a commercial vehicle; do I need to pay for parking at the Lake Louise Lakeshore?
No. Commercial vehicles do not need to pay for parking at the Lake Louise Lakeshore.
Commercial vehicles are defined as commercially registered vehicles that can transport 11 or more persons, including the driver, and are used for the purpose of transporting persons. All commercial vehicles must have a business licence with Banff National Park and clearly display a commercial park entry pass.
It is expected that starting in 2025, as Parks Canada transitions to provide more certainty to operators and visitors, this will be re-evaluated. A sustainable system that allows continued commercial shuttle and tour access within the greater Lake Louise area will need to take into account the related operational costs, as well as run parallel to a more affordable public shuttle option for visitors, while ensuring best value for Canadians.
Can I turn left out of the Lake Louise Lakeshore parking lot onto Lake Louise Drive?
No. Due to high traffic volumes on Lake Louise Drive, no vehicles are permitted to turn left when exiting the Lake Louise Lakeshore parking lotto access hotels or pick up visitors. This is to ensure the safety of contracted traffic control personnel and visitors.
Can I park overnight in the Lake Louise Lakeshore parking lot?
No, overnight parking is not permitted unless your tour group is on a multi-day backcountry experience. Contact the Lake Louise Visitor Centre for more information.
Where can I park at the Lake Louise Lakeshore?
Commercial vehicles have separate, defined parking spaces in the Lake Louise Lakeshore parking lot (see map below). In 2024, these spaces are designed to separate vehicles by length.
- Commercial vehicles under 25 feet in total length will park in the orange “commercial bus parking” area.
- Commercial vehicles over 25 feet in length will park in the similarly labeled blue area.
Moraine Lake
Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles year round.
- Parks Canada shuttles, Roam Public Transit, and commercial vehicles who meet the criteria are permitted from June to mid-October.
Important notes about operating at Moraine Lake:
How do I obtain a Moraine Lake Road Licence of Occupation (LOO)?
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Email llykbusinesslicence@pc.gc.ca to request the initial LOO application sheet. Complete the initial application sheet and return it to llykbusinesslicence@pc.gc.ca.
Once the initial application sheet has been processed, you will receive a package of documentation for the 2025 season which will include the below:
- Moraine Lake Road Licence of Occupation
- Decal and Key Fob Request Form
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Sign/date the Moraine Lake Road LOO and submit to llykbusinesslicence@pc.gc.ca. You will receive receipt of your submission.
If you are operating from the leasehold of a business inside the national park, outside the Town of Banff, please provide a copy of your sub-lease agreement to llykbusinesslicence@pc.gc.ca as part of this step.
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Complete the Decal and Key Fob Request Form and submit to circulation-traffic@pc.gc.ca. You will receive receipt of your submission.
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Wait for processing. You will receive your finalized copy of the Moraine Lake Road LOO from llykbusinesslicence@pc.gc.ca and further direction for decal and key fob pickup from circulation-traffic@pc.gc.ca.
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Provide a finalized (Superintendent approved and signed) 2025-2026 Banff National Park business licence to llykbusinesslicence@pc.gc.ca before Friday, May 30, 2025. If a finalized business licence is not received by Thursday, May 29, 2025, your LOO will be suspended until one is provided.
What fees are associated with a Moraine Lake Road Licence of Occupation?
In 2025, fees will be charged per-trip made and based both on the size of the vehicle and the price of a return ticket to Moraine Lake. The fee schedule is as follows:
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For operators charging more than $45 per return ticket, the per-trip fee will be:
- Vans (11 to 18 passengers) $169.54
- Small buses (19 to 29 passengers) $302.75
- Large buses (30 to 40 passengers) $363.30
- Motorcoaches (41+ passengers) $641.83
- There will be no fee for a trip if the bus is empty (driver without clients).
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For operators charging less than $45 per return ticket, the per-trip fee will be:
- Vans (11 to 18 passengers) $50.88
- Small buses (19 to 29 passengers) $90.83
- Large buses (30 to 40 passengers) $108.99
- Motorcoaches (41+ passengers) $192.55
- There will be no fee for a trip if the bus is empty (driver without clients).
These “discounted fees” apply to commercial vehicle operators advertising and selling seats for $45 or less per person, per return trip (this price must not be conditional on any other purchase). All return trips to Moraine Lake offered by the operator for a vehicle bearing the ‘discounted fee’ licence must be at or below $45 per person (including any additional fees, excluding applicable taxes) for the duration of the licence.
For all operators, an additional fee of $56.45 per commercial vehicle is also required to purchase a mandatory decal and Frequency Operated Button (FOB) for gate access.
Money generated from the fees will stay in Lake Louise and go directly towards offsetting the cost of traffic management.
What requirements must commercial vehicles meet to be permitted on Moraine Lake Road?
Commercial vehicles are defined as commercially registered vehicles that can transport 11 or more persons, including the driver, and are used for the purpose of transporting persons.
- In addition to the Moraine Lake Road Licence of Occupation, all commercial vehicle operators must have a Business Licence with Banff National Park.
- It is the responsibility of the operator to ensure all requirements are met with respect to proper commercial vehicle registration.
Parks Canada shuttles, Roam Public Transit and emergency response vehicles are permitted on Moraine Lake Road.
Are there restrictions on when a commercial vehicle operator with a Moraine Lake Licence of Occupation can access Moraine Lake Road?
No. Commercial vehicles are permitted to travel Moraine Lake Road 24 hours a day/7 day a week from June 1 to Mid-October (conditions permitting). At this time there are no time or day restrictions in place.
I hold a business licence in Banff National Park, does that make me a commercial vehicle operator?
No, holding a business licence in Banff National Park does not automatically qualify you as a commercial transportation provider. Commercial transportation providers go through a specific application process with certain requirements. If interested in becoming a commercial transportation provider, please reach out to the respective Parks Canada office which issued your business licence.
Business licence holders who are not approved commercial transportation providers will be required to book seats on a Parks Canada shuttle or arrange transportation with an approved commercial transportation provider if they wish to travel to Moraine Lake with clients.
Can I apply for a taxi service business licence to drive clients to Moraine Lake for my other business venture (photography, elopement, guiding, etc.)?
No, taxi businesses must be operated as a taxi service for the general public and community, not specifically for another business venture.
Additionally, taxi vehicles do not meet the Moraine Lake Road Licence of Occupation criteria for transporting 11 or more people.
I am a contractor working for Moraine Lake Lodge. Do I need to apply for the Moraine Lake Road Licence of Occupation in addition to my business licence?
No, contractors working for Moraine Lake Lodge will be let through but must park in the Moraine Lake Lodge parking area, not in the public Parks Canada parking lot. Contractors should coordinate with Moraine Lake Lodge in advance of their visit.
I’ve been awarded a shuttle or tour bus business licence. Where can I direct clients to park their vehicles?
There is no parking permitted in any Parks Canada parking lots, public parking areas, and trailheads within the national parks. These areas are not authorized locations to direct clients to park their vehicles before they use a commercial shuttle service.
Businesses wishing to base their operations in the national parks (outside the Town of Banff), such as the community of Lake Louise, must obtain permission from third-party lessees, such as commercial accommodation providers. This written permission must include the number of parking stalls allocated to the operator. Operators are required to submit these letters of permission during the application process. Approved parking locations will be indicated for each operator on their Moraine Lake Road Licence of Occupation.
Operators with approved parking locations must direct their clients to these locations.
Once clients have parked their vehicles in approved locations, operators are permitted to pick up and drop-off these existing clients throughout the national parks, adhering to local restrictions, closures, and regulations. Operators must ensure that they have seat capacity to return all clients to their vehicles (located in these approved parking locations if within the national park) on the same day of travel.
Operators may not solicit new clients in any Parks Canada parking lots, public parking areas, or trailheads.
Can I turn left onto or off of Moraine Lake Road?
Parks Canada has decided to authorize left turn access only for licenced commercial vehicle operators who have received a Moraine Lake Road Licence of Occupation when entering or departing Moraine Lake Road onto (or from) Lake Louise Drive.
Please note that restrictions may be reinstated to left turn access at any time should it compromise visitor safety or create unacceptable levels of traffic congestion.
Can I park my commercial vehicle overnight in the Moraine Lake parking lot?
No, overnight parking is not permitted unless your tour group is on a multi-day backcountry experience. Permits must be obtained at least 48 hours in advance by contacting circulation-traffic@pc.gc.ca.
Other Commercial Vehicle Parking Areas
Important notes about parking
- Parking at many sites across Banff National Park often reach capacity during June to September.
- Parking on road shoulders is illegal.
- Commercial vehicles are defined as commercially registered vehicles that can transport 11 or more persons, including the driver, and are used for the purpose of transporting persons. All commercial vehicles must have a business licence with Banff National Park.
- Business licences do not give the licencee any rights or priority of access in the national park, which includes parking. Parking in Banff National Park is on a first-come first-served basis, which includes all commercial vehicles.
- When deemed necessary for park management purposes, the Superintendent may close any area to public use or traffic, including access or parking.
- Follow the direction of traffic controllers and Parks Canada personnel on site at all times as their direction supersedes information provided in advance of arrival.
Lake Louise Community
The Samson Mall parking lot has parking to accommodate large commercial vehicles on the end nearest to Village Road. There is a time restriction (maximum of 2 hours) in the lot. Additional parking for large vehicles is available in the lot located behind the Shell Gas Station on Village Road. Parking is only available on a first-come, first-served basis. Parking spaces in these lots fill quickly and may not be available during peak times.
Peyto Lake
The upper parking lot at the Peyto Lake Day-use Area is designated for accessible and commercial vehicle parking, and operates at a first-come, first-served basis. Due to the design of the parking lot, drivers are advised to stay with their vehicles to allow others room to park. Any vehicles staying for an extended period must park along the sides of the lot to allow traffic to flow freely.
Emerald Lake
Commercial vehicle parking is located on the right-hand side from the beginning of the parking lot until the hotel access bridge.
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