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The Municipality of Central Elgin is proud to announce that Port Stanley’s Main Beach has once again earned the prestigious Blue Flag designation for 2025, marking the 15th consecutive year of recognition for meeting the highest international standards in water quality, environmental management, safety, and services.
The Blue Flag is a globally recognized eco-certification awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education and administered in Canada by Swim Drink Fish. Port Stanley Main Beach first received this honour in 2010, becoming the first beach on Lake Erie to earn the Blue Flag distinction. We are proud to have maintained this standard of excellence every year since.
“This recognition highlights Central Elgin and our community’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, safety, and the responsible stewardship of our beautiful shoreline,” said Mayor Andrew Sloan. “Thank you to the teams that have made this achievement possible year after year, including our staff, beach rescue teams, and the many residents and visitors who treat our beach with care and respect and work together to preserve it for everyone to enjoy.”
The Blue Flag symbolizes that Port Stanley’s Main Beach is clean, sustainably managed, safe, and a beacon of pride for residents, visitors, and beachgoers. To earn and maintain this status, a beach must meet a rigorous set of criteria, including regular water quality testing, accessibility, lifeguard presence, and environmental education programs. As beach conditions change, a safety audit is also one of the requirements to maintain Blue Flag status.
In line with this commitment to safety, the Lifesaving Society Ontario conducted a thorough safety audit of Port Stanley Main Beach in late May. This audit recommended adjustments to the boating lane and a reduction in the designated swimming area’s depth. In response, the Municipality is arranging for the installation of no-boating markers and swim zone markers, in accordance with Canadian Coast Guard specifications, ahead of the summer season.
For more information about the Blue Flag program, visit www.blueflag.global or www.swimdrinkfish.ca.
Above: Photo of Deputy Mayor Todd Noble, Mayor Andrew Sloan, Mike Wigzell (Manager of Parks and Facilities), Dan Vandevyvere (Assistant Recreation Superintendent), Councillor Morgaine Griffin, Jason Vowel (Recreation Superintendent), and Councillor Michelle Graham.
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