VICTORIA — The government website for British Columbia residents booking provincial campsites was overwhelmed on Monday, prompting an apology from the Ministry of Environment.
The ministry says in a statement that the last time the site was busy there were 1,100 reservations in one day, but in the first half hour of opening Monday about 800 reservations were booked.
It says 50,000 people were online at opening trying to access the system.
While government staff made efforts to be ready for additional demands, it says the 35,000 reservations made before lunch exceeded expectations.
The ministry thanks all those who tried to book a site for their patience and apologizes to those who were unable to access the system.
The new reservations are only available to B.C. residents, giving locals camping opportunities close to home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2020.
