It could soon get much easier to explore Toronto's most secluded beaches

It could soon become much easier to access one of Toronto's most striking and least accessible waterfront landscapes. 

A major planning initiative led by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), in partnership with the City of Toronto, is exploring how to transform the Scarborough Bluffs West shoreline into a more connected and publicly accessible stretch of Lake Ontario's edge, while also protecting its fragile cliffs. 

Stretching roughly 15 kilometers, the Scarborough Bluffs are one of the city's most dramatic geological features, but large sections remain difficult or outright dangerous to reach due to steep slopes, erosion, and limited formal access points. 

Through the Scarborough Bluffs West Project, city planners are weighing options that could bring new trails, shoreline protections, and public spaces between the Eastern Beaches and Bluffer's Park. 

The project's study area stretches approximately 4.5 kilometres from Kingston Road to Lake Ontario, and from Silver Birch Avenue to Brimley Road. 

According to the City, the project will consider opportunities to improve how people access and move through the waterfront, preserve and enhance the natural environment, and minimize natural hazards caused by erosion. 

"The Scarborough waterfront has been the subject of over five decades of planning, studies and analysis seeking to understand stressors on the ecosystem, public access issues, and the nature of public safety and property risks posed by shoreline erosion," the project's environmental assessment notes.

 "The Scarborough Bluffs are an iconic feature of the Lake Ontario shoreline; however, due to limited access and existing public safety hazards, the water's edge along this section of the waterfront is not equitably accessible to the public."

In 2021, the City and TRCA initiated a study on the area, which highlighted Scarborough Bluffs West as a priority project to "address remaining risks to public safety and property and explore the viability of a waterfront trail connection." 

The study area has been divided into four proposed shoreline segments, and the project might recommend some combination of elements at the top and/or toe of the bluffs, including aquatic and terrestrial habitat enhancements, new or enhanced access points, multi-use trails, public spaces, erosion and slope stability measures, and shore protection works. 

The Scarborough Bluffs West shoreline is one of Toronto’s most iconic shorelines.

We are working with the @TRCA_HQ to look at ways to protect the shoreline, care for sensitive natural spaces, and improve access and enjoyment along the waterfront between the Eastern Beaches… pic.twitter.com/Raot3rs9Qu

— City of Toronto 🇨🇦 (@cityoftoronto) May 31, 2026

The project is currently in its third round of public consultation. Nearby residents and frequent visitors are invited to complete an online survey on the project before June 30.