Best Dog Friendly Beaches In Canada

In Vancouver there are three dog friendly beaches one is at Spanish Bank West and they allow dogs in an off leash area, this is advertised for well behaved dogs, so if you know your dog doesn't fall in this category, I guess they aren't welcome.

Then there is Sunset Beach located betwee
Thurlow and Bute Streets, this is also an off-leash area for well-behaved dogs, it is an area south of the nearby Vancouver Aquatic Centre, because it being close to the centre it has good parking which is convenient.

The last Vancouver beach is Gonzales Beach; which is actually in Victoria, they state that the dogs always need to be supervised and controlled by the owner, they have limited off leash times. Dogs can only be off leash betwee
September 1 and May 31 and that is 24 hours a day. No dogs are allowed on the public beach from March 1 to April 30 each year because of the annual Brant migration. Then, again they are not allowed on the beach anytime from June 1 to August 31.

Victoria also is a city that is attempting to make it a dog friendly environment for the dogs and their owners. They have started a program that is called Paws in Parks, so now Dallas Road and Gonzales Beach is not the only areas that allow off leash areas.

There are now six more parks with off leash areas and they are: Alexander, Arbutus, Oswald, Redfern, Topaz and Vic West and after review of the success of these they are considering more. The parks that are under consideration are Pemberton Park, Banfield Park, Songhees Hilltop Park and Fisherman's Wharf Park, so if you are traveling and/or living close to these parks check and see if the off leash is in effect yet.

Rainbow Park in Whistler, Canada there is an area for dogs to actually swim and play off leash at Barking Bay dog beach, it is located south of the park and they can frolic to their hearts content at this beach especially set aside for your pets and the owners.

Kokanee Creek Park in British Columbia there is a dog beach located by the boat launch area; which is at the northeast side of the park. They do have definite rules that are strictly enforced so be sure and know what they are. They need to be on a leash at all times and are not allowed on the beach areas or park buildings; you are responsible for cleaning up after them and the proper disposal of it; again they want only well behaved pets and owners need to be aware of hazard of taking pets in the backcountry as there are bears.