Four beaches, marinas in Manitoba and Ontario earn Blue Flag eco-certification

TORONTO -- Four beaches and marinas in Manitoba and Ontario have been added to a growing list of Canadian locales with Blue Flag status.

The internationally renowned eco-certification acknowledges that a beach or marina is clean, swimmable and meets high safety and environmental standards.

Gimli Beach in Gimli, Man., is among the newest additions to the list.

Two marinas and a beach in Ontario have also been awarded the Blue Flag: Bell Park Beach in Sudbury, City of Barrie Marina, and LaSalle Park Marina in Burlington.

The Blue Flag award is administered in Canada by Environmental Defence and is managed internationally by the Foundation for Environmental Education.

More than 4,000 beaches and marinas have been certified in 49 countries worldwide.

Here is the list of the 24 beaches and four marinas that have previously received the Blue Flag in Canada and were awarded the distinction again this year:

MANITOBA

West Grand Beach (Grand Beach Provincial Park)

Winnipeg Beach (Winnipeg Beach Provincial Park)

NOVA SCOTIA

Birch Cove Beach (Dartmouth)

Halifax Waterfront (Halifax)

ONTARIO

Bayfield Main Beach and Bluewater Marina (Municipality of Bluewater)

Bluffer's Park Beach (Toronto)

Centre Island Beach (Toronto)

Cherry Beach (Toronto)

Gibraltar Point Beach (Toronto)

Hanlan's Point Beach (Toronto)

Kew-Balmy Beach (Toronto)

Ward's Island Beach (Toronto)

Woodbine Beach (Toronto)

Canatara Park Beach (Sarnia)

Grand Bend Beach, Grand Bend Marina and Port Franks Marina (Municipality of Lambton Shores)

Port Stanley Main Beach (Municipality of Central Elgin)

Sauble Beach (Town of South Bruce Peninsula)

Station Beach (Kincardine)

Wasaga Beach areas 1, 2 and 5 (Wasaga Beach Provincial Park)

Waubuno Beach (Parry Sound)

QUEBEC

Plage de l'Est, Plage de l'Ouest, Plage des Cantons (Ville de Magog)