Third Beach, Vancouver (Photo credit: Suzanne Rushton)

Swim Guide highlights Canada’s top beaches just in time for the long weekend!

There’s one week of summer left, which means you have one last chance to create the warm summertime memories that will carry you through the chilly fall and winter months.

Swim Guide has Canada’s top beaches just in time for you to hit the sand one last time this summer.

Bluffer’s Beach - Toronto, ON
Top pick in Toronto goes to Bluffer’s Beach. Named for the Scarborough Bluffs that tower over it, Bluffer’s Park Beach has a ton of facilities for every beach-goer. There is a marina, parkland, swimming, fishing, and picnic areas. In 2009, an 11 year-old boy reeled in a 35lb Chinook Salmon just off the beach!

Bluffer’s Park was built by bringing in fill and sand to create a flat space at the bottom of the clay cliffs. These towering bluffs are loose and crumbly, so keep your eyes peeled for falling sand. If you put your ear right up to the wall of them you might be able to hear the sand and dirt moving and shifting inside. Bluffer’s Beach used to have some of the poorest water quality in Toronto.

“Bluffer’s is the best spot in Toronto, hands down. Watching the sunrise here is the best way to start your day,” says Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, Mark Mattson.

Brittania Beach, Ottawa ON
Of the dozens of beaches you’ll find on the shores of the Ottawa River, Brittania Beach gets our vote for best beach in the watershed. It’s located on one of the most picturesque stretches of the River and is itself one of the prettiest places to visit in the city.

Whether you’re looking to swim, play a game of beach volleyball, explore the bike paths along the river, participate in one of the hundreds of events in the park, or see for yourself why the burgers at the Baja Burger Shack have been voted Ottawa’s best – Brittania Beach is the place to go!

The water quality at Brittania also makes it a highly desirable destination on hot, sunny days when beach-goers are most in need of a refreshing dip in the river.

“Compared to other City of Ottawa beaches further downstream on the Ottawa River, Brittania Beach is consistently the one public beach that, on average, has the lowest E.coli counts and that remains open for the majority of the summer season. It’s a great place to take your kids for the day and to experience all of the good things the Ottawa River has to offer,” says Ottawa Riverkeeper, Meredith Brown.

Kinosoo Beach – Cold Lake, AB
Kinosoo Beach in the Town of Cold Lake was voted one of Canada’s Top 25 Beaches in 2008 by Canadian Geographic Magazine.

Named after the Cree legend of Kinosoo, the soft, sandy beach is long and wide with lots shade in the grassy areas throughout. Kinosoo has everything from grassy picnic areas and a great playground, to high-end washrooms and a convenient concession stand. All features are easy to access from the parking lot. This is a great spot whether you’re with friends or family.

“While Devonshire on Slave Lake and the Rocky Mountain beaches have the majestic feel and scenery, Kinosoo Beach on Cold Lake has everything a group friends or a young family could ever want in a beach,” says Glenn Isaac, North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper. “Beach life has never been so easy and fun…clear, clean, warm water; great sandy beach; great amenities; and the Cree legend of Kinosoo!”

Third Beach – Vancouver, BC
Third Beach is one of Vancouver’s naturally sandy beaches and is a popular spot for swimming and sunbathing. With the old-growth forests of Stanley Park in the background, Third Beach is the place to go if you want to spend a quiet, secluded evening.

This season, Third Beach was one of a few beaches that had the best water quality in the area. On top of that, the close proximity to Stanley Park, clean beach and relative privacy of the beach put Third Beach ahead of the pack.

“It’s wonderful to have a beach right here in the city that’s dependably swimmable,” said Fraser Riverkeeper Executive Director Karen Wristen.

The most important question you’ll need to answer before you hit the beach: “Is it safe to swim?” Swim Guide has helped tens of thousands of people make beach memories by answering that very question. Download the app from www.theswimguide.org now.

Make some memories at one of Canada’s best beaches before the summer ends!

Ottawa
Jessie Corey
Stewardship Coordinator, Ottawa Riverkeeper
jcorey@ottawariverkeeper.ca, 613-321-1120 ext. 2

Edmonton
Glenn Isaac
Executive Director, North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper
glennisaac@live.com, 780-438-5148

Vancouver
Mary Woodbury
Director of Operations, Fraser Riverkeeper
mary@fraserriverkeeper.ca, 778-737-4422

More information:
www.theswimguide.org
Press materials at www.theswimguide.org/about