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Canada

A short overview: how flying works here, where the sites are, and where to find more. Check with the national body or a local club or school before flying.

Overview

How flying works here

National body: Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association of Canada (HPAC/ACVL) (opens in a new tab)

Visiting pilots

  • Visitors need a 60-day temporary HPAC membership to fly most sites. Landowners require Canadian insurance; home-association insurance is not valid as primary cover.
  • Only Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho national parks allow free flight; all other national parks are closed to it.

A short summary, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the current requirements with Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association of Canada (HPAC/ACVL) before you fly. Summary checked 13 Oct 2026.

Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association of Canada (HPAC/ACVL): current rules for visiting pilots (opens in a new tab)

Learning to fly

  • Learn with an HPAC-certified instructor or school; your instructor sends in your HPAC membership application and rating form.
  • Passing Transport Canada's HAGAR air-law exam is required before the Intermediate (P3 or H3) rating.

Checked 13 Oct 2026 against official sources: source 1 (opens in a new tab) · source 2 (opens in a new tab) · source 3 (opens in a new tab) · source 4 (opens in a new tab) · source 5 (opens in a new tab) · source 6 (opens in a new tab) · source 7 (opens in a new tab)

Visiting Canada: help on the ground and flying tours

Information only. Forecast direction is compared with each site's published wind range; speeds are shown but not judged. Always check the official site guide, the administering club and conditions on the day. You are responsible for your decision to fly.

Map

Sites listed by ParaglidingEarth's contributors. Ask a local club or school about each one before flying there.

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Sites

Community site data: © ParaglidingEarth contributors (CC BY-SA 3.0 / ODbL 1.0) · checked 13 Oct 2026