Published June 10, 2020
Earlier this year, Swim Drink Fish (the nonprofit behind Great Lakes Guide) became the National Operator of the Blue Flag program in Canada. The Blue Flag program recognizes communities working hard to promote swimmable, drinkable, fishable water.
Toronto became the first city in Canada to certify its beaches under the Blue Flag program in 2005. Today, Ontario is home to the most Blue Flag beaches in all of Canada.
What is a Blue Flag beach?
Think of a Blue Flag as a green light to get your toes wet.
When a Blue Flag is flying, it tells you many things about a beach or marina.
It tells you that a beach or marina is being managed sustainably. It tells you that the area is accessible and inclusive. It tells you that high-quality services and safety procedures are in effect. It tells you that the water there is being monitored.
Blue Flag beaches had to meet water quality guidelines the majority of the time (more than 80% of the time) during the previous beach season. Blue Flags are only supposed to fly when current conditions are also suitable for swimming, but you can always check the Great Lakes Guide beach page for current water quality results pulled from Swim Guide.
Blue Flag beaches meet 33 criteria across four categories:
- Environmental Education and Information
- Water Quality
- Environmental Management
- Safety and Services
Blue Flag marinas meet 38 criteria across six categories:
- Environmental Education and Information
- Environmental Management
- Safety and Services
- Water Quality
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- Social and Community Involvement
Swim Drink Fish works closely with Blue Flag International to award Blue Flags to beaches and marinas that successfully implement the comprehensive criteria.
Why are Blue Flag beaches important?
Blue Flag beaches do more than just let you know where you can go swimming in Ontario. The Blue Flag program also connects you to water so that you can learn more about the Great Lakes and appreciate how essential they are to your life.
At Blue Flag beaches, you’ll find educational activities that help you discover more about the environment you’re visiting. You’ll find information about the lake’s biodiversity, ecosystems, and the fascinating environmental phenomena at work.
A Blue Flag beach or marina gives a sense of pride to its community and attracts visitors from far and wide to come enjoy and know the waters there.
Blue Flag marinas also help protect the water and local environment by sustainably managing all types of waste, including recyclables, litter, compost, and hazardous waste. Blue Flags indicate that the marina provides important services such as onsite pump out stations, onsite hazardous waste disposal and storage, and clean sanitary and washing facilities.
Here is a map of the 2020 Blue Flag destinations in Ontario
As of 2021, here are all the Blue Flag beaches in Ontario
Bell Park Beach, Sudbury, Ontario
Bluffer’s Park Beach, Toronto, Ontario
Canatara Park Beach, Sarnia, Ontario
Centre Island Beach, Toronto, Ontario
Cherry Beach, Toronto, Ontario
Gibraltar Point Beach, Toronto, Ontario
Grand Bend Beach, Municipality of Lambton Shores, Ontario
Hanlan’s Point Beach, Toronto, Ontario
Kew-Balmy Beach, Toronto, Ontario
Moonlight Beach, Sudbury, Ontario
Port Burwell East Beach, Port Burwell, Ontario
Port Stanley Main Beach, Port Stanley, Ontario
Spine Beach, Elliot Lake, Ontario
Spruce Beach, Elliot Lake, Ontario
Ward’s Island Beach, Toronto, Ontario
Wasaga Beach Area 1, Wasaga, Ontario
Wasaga Beach Area 2, Wasaga, Ontario
Waubuno Beach, Parry Sound, Ontario
Woodbine Beach, Toronto, Ontario
As of 2021, here are all the Blue Flag marinas in Ontario
Bluewater Marina, Bluewater, Ontario
City of Barrie Marina, Barrie, Ontario
Grand Bend Marina, Municipality of Lambton Shores, Ontario
Loyalist Cove Marina, Bath, Ontario
Port Franks Marina, Municipality of Lambton Shores, Ontario
Tall Pines Marina, Kenora, Ontario
Trent Port Marina, Trenton, Ontario
Royal Canadian Yacht Club, Toronto, Ontario
