Toronto

Summer is coming: Toronto beaches to officially open on Saturday

Toronto is set to open nine of its public beaches Saturday on the tail end of an unusual springtime heat wave.

Nine of the city's 11 beaches will open this weekend

Cherry Beach is one of nine locations that will officially open this weekend. (Canadian Press)

Slap on that sunscreen, Toronto, because beach season has arrived.

Starting Saturday, nine of Toronto's 11 swimming beaches will officially open to the public.

They'll be staffed by lifeguards from 11:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. daily until swimming season ends on Labour Day.

Here are the spots where you can go cool off:

  • Bluffer's Park Beach
  • Centre Island Beach
  • Cherry/Clarke Beach
  • Gibraltar Point Beach
  • Hanlan's Point Beach
  • Kew-Balmy Beach
  • Sunnyside Beach
  • Ward's Island Beach
  • Woodbine Beach

Two other locations, Marie Curtis Park East Beach and Rouge Beach, will open on June 16.

All 11 Toronto beaches are tested for water quality daily from June to Labour Day.

Toronto Public Health posts warning signs when E.coli bacteria levels are deemed unsafe.

Eight of the beaches have earned "blue flag" certification, which is awarded to beaches that consistently meet international standards for water quality.

Sunnyside Beach, Marie Curtis Park East Beach and Rouge Beach are the only locations without blue flag status.