The cleanest and safest beaches and marinas in Canada have been named in a new list of locations to earn a Blue Flag in 2022.
Twenty-two beaches and 10 marinas have earned a Blue Flag designation, an international award given to community waterfronts that meet high environmental, safety and cleanliness standards.
Registered charity has been the Canadian operator for Blue Flag International since 2020. It helps national beaches or marinas interested in receiving the award through encouraging community engagement and management practices.
Canada鈥檚 consecutive champion of the Blue Flag designation is Bluffers Beach, in Toronto, located beneath the Scarborough Bluffs. The waterfront has won a Blue Flag for the 11th year in a row.
HOW DO YOU GET A BLUE FLAG?
鈥淲e conduct feasibility studies, we鈥檝e worked with beach and marina operators to ensure all the criteria are met for Blue Flag, and we encourage them through adoption of environmental education activities,鈥� Gregary Ford, director of water programs for Swim Drink Fish, told CTVNews.ca
Considerations are also heavily geared towards public notices of ecosystem integrations, environmental management practices and regular water quality monitoring that meets regional and provincial standards.
There are numerous categories of criteria, which generally include safety measures such as adequate signage, lifeguard monitoring and the identification of dangerous sections, Ford explained.
He believes the annual award helps foster a connection with water that 鈥渁lready exists in all of us.鈥�
鈥淲e really believe that by connecting people through their water and fostering that connection we can foster an attitude of fresh water protections in all Canadians,鈥� he added.
THE FULL LIST OF BLUE FLAGS AWARDED IN 2022
Here鈥檚 a list of all the Canadian waterfronts that received a Blue Flag designation in 2022.
