‘Don’t be pooping on the beach,’ Doug Ford says of Ontario town saga

According to Premier Doug Ford, anyone visiting Wasaga Beach should refrain from “pooping on the beach,” as the town of Ontario is combating misleading social media posts.

These posts allege that individuals are defecating in the sand at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, causing the town’s mayor to express concerns about the negative impact on Wasaga Beach’s reputation.

“It’s a very popular beach,” Ford remarked at an unrelated press conference on Wednesday.

“They have no evidence that people are pooping in the park.”

The controversy began after a TikTok user went viral for claiming in a video that defecation at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park has been an ongoing issue for years.

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Ontario town calls for provincial help after viral poop post

In the video, the user, Natty Lynn, claimed that people were setting up small tents and digging holes to use as washrooms. She mentioned that she doesn’t allow her kids to dig in the sand on Beach 1.

Last Monday, Mayor Brian Smith of the Town of Wasaga Beach called on Ford to take action.

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Smith expressed at a special council meeting that the town’s reputation was suffering due to concerns from residents and tourists regarding the quality of facilities at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, which is owned and managed by the province.

In July, he issued a detailed statement condemning the posts as “complaints lacking evidence and spreading misinformation.”

“The town has not received any evidence — from residents, visitors, or the Ontario government — to substantiate claims of unsanitary behavior on the beach areas within Wasaga Beach Provincial Park,” stated Smith.

“If any evidence is presented, we will take prompt action,” he assured.

A spokesperson for the environment ministry informed Global News last month that staff at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park “have not witnessed this behavior during their regular beachfront patrols or in response to any complaints.”

Another ministry representative stated that although complaints about defecation or urination on beaches have been received since 2020, no concrete evidence to support these allegations has been found.

Ford mentioned that he has allocated $1 million in funding to Wasaga Beach for the construction of bathrooms and the hiring of additional staff.

“Folks, please refrain from pooping on the beach. It’s as simple as that. We have no evidence of such activities,” Ford reiterated.

— with contributions from Global News’ Aaron D’Andrea and Jacquelyn LeBel

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