Booking accommodations - continued....

So I've discovered there are a few challenges in booking accommodations in Nova Scotia.  One is that many of the accommodations I desired are small, family run accommodations with a web presence but no real booking engine.  Many are fill out a form and get a response back, and some are give us a call.  Additionally many accommodations shut down in the winter.  One place I REALLY wanted to book was the lighthouse at Cape D'Or.  I called before the first of the year and he literally chuckled and said call back after the first (I envisioned him needing a calendar for 2017 to write our stay in to be honest).  Quaint, but challenging in these connected times.  FF to now.  I have been trying - unsuccessfully - to contact the lighthouse since after the first.  I have called both numbers - now not in service - and sent a message thru their Facebook page to which I have gotten only an automated response saying they would get back to me - which they didn't.  A couple of the places I wanted to book in Cape Breton shut down also.  So yesterday I retried connecting with them.  Get this - none available at 2 of the places I wanted to book for the dates I wanted!  Envision me in freak out mode... madly making second choices.  I have now booked all our accommodations - I'm happy with what we have but it is not what we planned in three different places.  2017 is the 150th birthday of Canada, and all the parks are free for the year in honor of that (I have our free park passes already).  Is that the reason?  Or is it the current political climate in the US?  I dunno, but all I know is we have our accommodations booked and I'm a happy gal.