Dog Friendly Ontario Beaches

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Ontario is full of natural diversity. The province has hundreds of provincial parks and forests, and it touches 4 of the 5 Great Lakes, With some of the most diverse ranges of terrains and textures (thank you Canadian Shield!), it’s one of the best natural playgrounds for dogs to explore.

Now, you’re probably here because you’re a good citizen. Yep! Pat yourself on the back for searching this up instead of showing up at a beach with your dog at a random beach. The reality is that not all beaches in Ontario allow dogs – especially during the summer months. Most beaches in Ontario don’t allow dogs.

Luckily, I did all the research for you! After sifting through hundreds of pages of bylaws, and public websites, I’ve compiled a complete list of all the beaches you can take your dog to in Ontario.

The comprehensive list of Ontario dog beaches

Here’s a map of every Ontario dog beach I found. It’s colour-coded based on the level of dog-friendliness.

  • Green – off-leash in and out of water.
  • Yellow – off-leash in water, but leashed out of water.
  • Blue – on-leash only.
Trip map created using Wanderlog, a travel planner on iOS and Android

I admit, the map isn’t the easiest way to list out every single dog beach in Ontario – there’s 70+! But it’s a great way to show you that despite a ton of rules and regulations in Ontario, there are plenty of dog-friendly beaches to explore!

To help you sift through it all – I’ve broken down the dog beaches into various helpful lists for you to explore:

Dog beaches by regions of Ontario

Southwestern Ontario

Key areas: Windsor Essex | Chatham-Kent | Sarnia Lambton | Middlesex | London | Elgin | Oxford | Norfolk County | Haldimand County

9 dog beaches in Southwestern Ontario
Map of key counties and towns located in Southwestern Ontario - 1 of the 13 tourist regions of Ontario

Niagara

Key areas: Niagara Falls | Niagara-on-the-Lake | Fort Erie | St. Catharines | Pelham | Welland | Thorold | Port Colborne | Lincoln | Grimsby | West Lincoln | Wainfleet

4 dog beaches in Niagara (coming soon)
Map of key counties and towns located in Niagara - 1 of the 13 tourist regions of Ontario

Hamilton, Halton and Brant

Key areas: Brant | Hamilton | Halton Hills | Milton | Six Nations of the Grand River | Oakville | Burlington | Brantford

1 dog beach in Hamilton, Halton and Brant

Fifty Point Conservation Area

  • Best for: Marina walks and day picnics with the family
  • Shoreline Terrain: Pebbles
  • Dog beach restriction: On leash only
  • Timeframe: Year-round

Greater Toronto Area

Key areas: Brampton | Mississauga | Toronto

Dog beaches in Greater Toronto Area (coming soon)
Limone, a red and white corgi is lifting her front paw up in anticipation. She is wet and covered in sand. In the background is another dog - possibly a golden retriever, who is also wet. The other dog is holding a ball in its mouth while shaking wet fur.

York, Durham and Headwaters

Key areas: Georgina | Richmond Hill | Pickering and Ajax | Dufferin | Uxbridge | Clarington | Whitby and Oshawa | Port Perry | Markham and Unionville | Vaughan | Caledon

1 dog beach in York, Durham, and Headwaters

Sibbald Point Provincial Park

  • Best for: Pups who love chasing skipping rocks
  • Shoreline Terrain: Pebbles
  • Dog beach restriction: Off-leash in water, but leashed out of water
  • Timeframe: Year-round

Ontario dog beaches by restrictions

In general, dog-friendly beaches in Ontario can be categorized into 3 main levels of doggy freedom:

  1. Off-leash in and out of water: The dream! Dogs can run free on land and dive into the water.
  2. Off-leash in water, but leashed out of water: Your dog can enjoy a swim leash-free, but once back on the beach, it’s leash time.
  3. On-leash only: Keep your pup leashed at all times
14 off-leash dog beaches in Ontario featured image

14 off-leash dog beaches in Ontario

Corgi in a life jacket sitting on a crouched woman's lap. The woman is wearing a bucket hat to block the sun. The corgi is squinting and looking directly at the camera.

5 partially off-leash dog beaches in Ontario

More blog posts about dog beaches in Ontario

Frequently Asked Questions about dog-friendly Ontario beaches

10 beaches in Toronto allow dogs. But most only allow dogs during the wintertime (November 1 – March 31).

Also, only 2 beaches in Toronto have off-leash areas: Kew-Balmy Beach, and Cherry Beach.

Yes, but only on a leash between October to May. Dogs are not allowed on Sauble Beach during the summer months (June 1 – Labour Day).

Reference: Sauble Beach FAQ

No. according to Burlington’s by-law, dogs (excluding service animals) are not allowed on any beaches in Burlington, Ontario.

According to Fort Erie’s beach rules, Crystal Beach, otherwise known as Bay Beach in Fort Erie, does NOT allow dogs at any time.

Yes, according to St. Catherine’s bylaws and website, dogs are allowed at Sunset Beach. They must be kept on a leash at all times.