The Outlet Beach at Sandbanks Provincial Park has received Blue Flag designation, an international eco-certification recognizing the beach as clean and accessible with great water quality, high safety standards and excellent shoreline and ecosystem protection.
Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, Kathryn McGarry was at Outlet Beach today to raise the flag and celebrate this award along with Ontario Parks staff.
To receive a Blue Flag, beaches and marinas must meet high international standards in four categories: water quality, environmental management, environmental education, and safety and services.
“Ontario is home to some world-renowned places, and our beaches are no different. Adding Outlet Beach and Sandbanks Provincial Park to the roster of Blue Flag beaches around the world is something everyone in Ontario can be proud of,” said Kathryn McGarry, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.
Sandbanks Provincial Park is one of Ontario’s busiest provincial parks and, along with its amazing beaches, offers many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, including:
- Camping on one of the more than 600 campsites including waterfront camping, tenting sites or trailer sites with electrical hook up.
- Swimming, fishing, boating and a Visitor Centre with educational displays.
- Hiking through multiple trails, including the accessible Sandbanks Dune Trail home to the largest dune system of its kind in the world, and rare wetland habitat that supports wildlife and unusual flora.
- Canoeing the Outlet River and exploring its marsh habitat.
“Sandbanks is a natural fit for the Blue Flag program. Not only does Outlet Beach have stunning beaches and dunes, but Sandbanks Provincial Park has shown a commitment to environmental education, water quality, safety, accessibility, and ecological integrity,” said Brett Tryon, Blue Flag Program Manager, Environmental Defence.
QUICK FACTS
- Ontario has more than 330 provincial parks, which cover more than 8 million hectares —which is approximately 7.5 per cent of Ontario’s landmass.
- Last year, more than 10 million people from around the world visited Ontario provincial parks.
- Sandbanks Provincial Park is the second Ontario provincial park to receive Blue Flag Designation; Wasaga Beach Provincial Park has been Blue Flag certified for 10 years.