Twelve beaches in Ontario are being awarded the International Blue Flag certification by Environmental Defence Canada, and several are in our area.
The Blue Flag means the beaches have met 27 strict standards covering everything from water quality to environmental management, as well as safety and service standards.
Sauble Beach, along with Station Beach in Kincardine have earned the flags once again.
Two beaches at the Town the Blue Mountains (Little River Beach Park, Northwinds Beach Park), Wasaga Beach and Rotary Cove Beach at Goderich have the flags as well.
Sauble Beach has now received the certification for 3 years in a row, and Wasaga Beach is on it’s 2nd year as is Station Beach in Kincardine.
Outreach director for Environmental Defence, Sarah Winterton says the six beaches in our area, and 12 in total in Ontario, join 26 hundred beaches in 36 countries around the world.
It means the beach meets the Ontario standard for water quality at least 80% of the swimming season. Previous years data is used to determine water quality and number of times the beach is closed for swimming.
Winterton believes the work by Environmental Defence has helped to inform both municipalities and the general public about water quality and the public has pressured politicians to clean up the Great Lakes.
Blue Flags will be flown at the beaches this summer with information available on what the designation means, and what municipalities are doing to improve water quality.
