June 18, 2014 

 

The City of Toronto is reminding residents about the importance of following water-safety rules when enjoying Toronto's Blue Flag beaches. The safety reminder was made at a media event today that marked the 10th anniversary of the Blue Flag program in Canada. 

 

"Swimming is an excellent way to stay healthy and keep cool this summer," said Dr. David McKeown, Toronto's Medical Officer of Health. "Beach season is also an important time to remind residents to take precautions to avoid preventable injuries and accidents while enjoying water activities this summer. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to teach your kids to swim safely and to make sure they are comfortable in the water from a very early age." 

 

The public is advised to remember these water safety tips: 

• keep children within arm's reach at all times • swim at a beach with a lifeguard and swim with a friend • if you are a non-swimmer, enrol in a swim class • check the Toronto Public Health SwimSafe website for daily updates on beach water quality • when out in the sun, wear a hat, use sunscreen and drink lots of water. 

 

Verified by the Blue Flag Program, Toronto has some of the best beaches in the world. Blue Flag is an eco-label awarded to beaches that achieve high standards in 29 criteria. The criteria include water quality, environmental education, environmental management, safety and services. Blue Flag awards are valid for one season and must be reassessed each year before being renewed. 

 

"Ten years ago, the City of Toronto raised the first four Blue Flags in Canada,” said Brett Tryon, Blue Flag Canada Program Manager. “Since then, the number of Blue Flag beaches in the city has doubled from four to eight. This is a huge accomplishment and demonstrates the City’s commitment to have beaches that are clean, excellent for swimming, and protected for future generations.”

 

More information about water safety and drowning prevention is available at http://www.toronto.ca/health/swimsafe/homepoolsafety.htm. 

 

More information about beach water quality is available at http://app.toronto.ca/tpha/beaches.html or by downloading the mobile app.

 

This news release is also available on the City's website: http://bit.ly/1lD91KS

 

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.

 

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Media contact: Lenore Bromley, Toronto Public Health, 416-338-7974, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.