Ontario Premier Doug Ford has asked people attending beaches this summer not to defecate on them, amid claims of such behaviour becoming a problem on a number of Ontario beaches.
Ford was speaking with reporters on Wednesday when he was asked what his response was to the Town of Wasaga Beach formally asking for his help to clean up Wasaga Beach Provincial Park.
The town’s request was linked to several social media posts that are claiming visitors to Wasaga Beach are using tents to defecate into holes dug into the beach sand.
A local TikToker went viral last month after posting a video claiming that the problem can no longer be ignored and that something needed to be done.
“People with that mentality will not change it, so people need to stop arguing with me and acting like this isn’t happening,” said the woman in the video.
She went on to say that as a local and a mother, she will not let her kids dig in the sand at Wasaga Beach.
However, Wasaga Beach town authorities as well as some provincial officials have derided her claims and those of others as disinformation.
Ford also leaned into the notion that such claims were disinformation but said that separate to that potential problem, that the Ontario government had already given the Town of Wasaga Beach $1 million to build bathrooms along the beach.
“I have no proof that people are pooping in the park per se, but it’s pretty bad if they are,” he said.
The town has proposed banning tents on the beach as a means to deal with the issue, however, Ford said that kind of solution “just doesn’t cut it.”
“I think people are respectful enough,” he added.
Wasaga Beach Mayor Brian Smith said last week that no formal complaints have been received by town officials regarding people defecating on the beach.
“If any evidence comes to light, I assure you that we will be quick to act,” said Smith in a statement.
“We have no proof of it, either,” Ford told reporters on Wednesday, but added an off the cuff order, should it be true.“Folks, don’t be pooping on the beach — it’s as simple as that.”
Additionally, an Ontario Environment, Conservation and Parks Ministry spokesperson told Global News that no such claims have been reported by residents or park staff either regarding the issue.