Eight of Toronto’s 11 public swimming beaches are once again being recognized for meeting an international organization’s standards for water quality, cleanliness and safety.
With less than a month to go until summer officially begins, blue flags are being planted at the beaches to symbolize the “international eco-certification” awarded by Environmental Defence.
In all, blue flags will fly at 24 beaches and four marinas across Canada for meeting standards in four categories: water quality, environmental management, environmental education and safety and services.
The environmental action organization awarded blue flags to the following city-managed beaches in Toronto:
- Bluffer’s Park
- Centre Island
- Cherry
- Gibraltar Point
- Hanlan’s Point
- Kew-Balmy
- Ward’s Island
- Woodbine
Toronto’s Marie Curtis Park East, Sunnyside and Rouge beaches have not attained blue flag status. Those beaches will have to wait until next year, at the earliest, because the flags are awarded only once a year.
Meanwhile, two Ontario beaches have received blue flags for the first time. They are Canatara Park Beach in Sarnia and Waubuno Beach in Parry Sound.
Environmental Defence’s Blue Flag program is celebrating its 10th anniversary in Canada. The first flags were flown in 2005 at Cherry, Hanlan’s Point, Ward’s Island and Woodbine beaches in Toronto.
In addition to Ontario, there are certified beaches in Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Quebec.
The program is administered in Canada by Environmental Defence and managed internationally by the Foundation for Environmental Education, with more than 4,000 certified beaches or marinas in 48 countries. The program was founded in Europe in 1987.
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