Beach season is upon us, and there are plenty of people wondering if beaches in Ontario are open at this point of the pandemic. 

The answer is: yes, beaches are open to the public, in the same way that parks are open for general use. 

Just like green spaces in city parks across Ontario, people are allowed to hang out on the the sandy stretches of beaches like Sunnyside and Woodbine.

So long as visitors adhere to physical distancing, they're free to sunbathe, play some frisbee, and even dip their toes in the water at one of the city's spacious waterfront spots. 

The usual rules apply: maintain a two metre distancing between individuals, or risk getting a $1,000 ticket. 

Social gatherings of more than five people are prohibited, as per provincial orders, unless everyone is from the same household. 

Smaller beaches like Toronto's manmade Sugar Beach are likely to fill up quicker, so I'd opt for one of the bigger stretches along the water if you're trying to chill in the sand without risk of crowding. 

A good round of volleyball is a good way to blow off some pandemic-induced steam, but as with all team sports, individuals are banned from playing in groups.

The City of Toronto has yet to implement its supervised swim program — which, under normal circumstances, would have kicked in sometime in June with warmer weather — so swimming in Lake Ontario probably isn't a great idea right now. 

"Given the COVID-19 pandemic, City staff are working with public health officials in regard to how the supervised swim program could operate at Toronto beaches and the City will share more information when it becomes available," said a City spokesperson. 

"Swimming at Toronto beaches without the supervision of a lifeguard is not recommended."