Statement by Mayor Brian Smith regarding the Town’s commitment to transparency and responsible stewardship

The following is an update to our community from Mayor Brian Smith:

“The Town of Wasaga Beach and this Council are committed to transparency and responsible stewardship. Today we are sharing information about a recent operational error on the beachfront.

The Town is aware that a small area near Spruce Street at Beach Area 1 was mechanically groomed in error on April 13. This was a mistake, and almost immediately, the activity was flagged and stopped. Careful steps have been taken to ensure that this does not happen again.

The Town uses a Barber Surf Rake to remove debris from areas of the beachfront, including garbage and potentially hazardous materials like broken glass. It is standard practice on public beaches to help keep shorelines safe. However, operations at Wasaga Beach must be carefully managed around sensitive areas, and in this case, that standard was not met.

As part of its commitment to transparency and responsible stewardship, the Town has proactively shared this information with Environment and Climate Change Canada.

To prevent this from happening again, the Town has:

• Reinforced clear direction with all staff and equipment operators working on the beachfront 
• Implemented additional controls and oversight for beach operations 
• Created new symbolic fencing and interpretive signage to clearly identify and protect this area, and other sensitive areas

Protecting critical habitat on a public beach is complex work. It requires balancing public access to one of Canada’s most iconic shorelines with the responsibility to safeguard sensitive ecosystems. Best practices around the world rely on clear boundaries, education, active stewardship, and responsible management. Wasaga Beach is no exception. Our shoreline ecosystems are dynamic, and while no system is perfect, our responsibility is to continually strengthen how we manage and protect them.

The Town’s position remains clear and consistent: we are committed to protecting critical habitat and building strong local stewardship capacity. This incident reinforces the importance of strong controls, clear direction, and transparency in how this work is carried out.

We have a vision: that Wasaga Beach will become an iconic, year-round recreation and nature-based destination—one that celebrates the longest freshwater beach in the world while safeguarding the full richness of its unique ecosystem.

The Town will continue taking action to protect piping plover habitat, build local stewardship capacity, and coordinate with experienced partners including the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority, Ontario Parks, Birds Canada, and the Canadian Wildlife Service.

Given the high level of public interest, we recognize the importance of communicating our actions and responsibilities clearly. We welcome accountability and will continue to provide regular updates.

We remain focused on doing this work responsibly and protecting sensitive habitat with the care it requires.”

Karla Findlay
Special Projects Leader
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Sandra Watts
General Manager of External Relations | Director of Communications, Destination Marketing & Intergovernmental Affairs
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