Swimming banned on Montreal beach due to contamination

Montreal’s public health department has banned swimming at a beach in the city’s east side due to contamination.

In a report, the agency said soil near the beach at Promenade-Bellerive Park is contaminated with lead and benzene and that sewage systems may be contaminating the water.

Yet residents like Edith Gendron continue to swim to the beach.

“Every time I’ve been in contact with this water, I’ve never had a rash or an itch. Nothing has ever happened. This water doesn’t scare me,” Gendron said in an interview.

The report recommends taking steps to reduce health risks before people are allowed back into the water.

“I didn’t put my head under the water. Because they said that, I was afraid,” said resident Karina Mercier.

Laurence Lavigne Lalonde, a member of the executive committee responsible for the parks, said they were “disappointed”.

A beach in Montreal’s east has been in the works for years. Mayor Valerie Plante made it a 2021 campaign promise, with plans to open it in 2022.

The city of Montreal wanted to allow people to swim in Promenade-Bellerive Park this summer, but is postponing the project due to public health concerns.

“It will take a few more years. We plan to start work on the coast in 2028,” said Lavigne Lalonde.

While the city plans to restore the riverbank, Fondation Rivieres says access to the water could be available sooner.

“One solution would be to build floating jetties or footbridges, allowing people to simply enter the water without dislodging the polluted sediments,” said Maelle Tripon of Fondation Rivieres.

In the meantime, the city wants to remove beach furniture and install more signs explaining the risks.