All beaches open in Windsor-Essex
All beaches in the region are open after the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit indicated new tests deemed them safe for swimming Friday.
Tests done earlier in the week had indicated high levels of bacteria, prompting officials to close West Belle River Beach, Mettawas Beach in Kingsville and Sandpoint Beach in Windsor.
WECHU tweeted an update on Friday afternoon, saying the results from more testing came back and closing the beaches was no longer necessary.
Lakeshore Mayor Tom Bain says the levels seen earlier in the week were surprising.
“I think those counts that we’ve received were one of the highest we’ve ever had on the beach here,” he says.
Bain tells CTV News he would have been disappointed if the beach remained closed through the weekend noting West Beach has become a popular summer destination.
“It’s just packed with people who are out and they’re in the water and they’re enjoying it,” he says.
The health unit says the bacterial counts reflect the conditions at the time of sampling, which is done every Monday. Weather conditions and lake levels can change the conditions.
“What we’re looking at is lower than 200 is the magic number but anything above 200 would be posted as precautionary,” says health unit CEO Theresa Marentette.
WECHU did not test area beaches in 2020 due to increased pandemic response needs.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.