Government of New Brunswick

New Brunswick has many superb beaches that are the pride of its residents and the joy of visitors.

To help ensure everyone’s safety, the Government of New Brunswick monitors water quality at Provincial Park beaches.

During 2017, the beaches at Parlee Beach Provincial Park and Murray Beach Provincial Park were regularly monitored. Beginning in 2018, monitoring was expanded to include the Mactaquac Provincial Park, Mount Carleton Provincial Park, Oak Bay Provincial Park, New River Beach Provincial Park, Miscou Provincial Park and Val-Comeau Provincial Park. The water is tested regularly during the swimming season, and all results are available on the following page: beaches.gnb.ca/

Water samples are sent to an accredited laboratory for analysis.The results are compared to the guideline values in the Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality.

When bacterial levels are below guideline values, the water is open and suitable for swimming.

When bacterial levels are above guideline values, a “No Swimming” advisory is in effect. In this case, the public is warned that the water is not suitable for swimming.

Swimming in waters with bacteria levels above the Guideline Values does not mean that you will get sick, but it increases the risk. Levels can fluctuate through the day so there is always a small risk of exposure.  Each person should use the information available to make choices that are comfortable for them. 

For more information about beach water quality monitoring in New Brunswick, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.