WINGHAM, ONT. -- The Grey-Bruce Medical Officer of Health has rescinded an order that had closed all beaches in Grey and Bruce County.

Earlier this month, Dr. Ian Arra ordered the closure of all beaches in both counties, as a message to potential outside visitors that Grey-Bruce was not ready for tourism yet.

“The original plan was to rescind the May 14 order after two weeks, provided the epidemiological data stays constant. Because the data has been constant, we are rescinding the order for all affected municipalities so that individual bylaws may be considered,” says Arra.

He is recommending municipalities now enact their own beach bylaws, to allow or restrict activity, that meet their local needs.

The Township of Huron-Kinloss is the first to tentatively “re-open” their beaches, allowing walk-through access, dog-walking, swimming and exercise on their beaches, effective immediately.

It will now be up to Grey-Bruce’s other municipalities with beaches to decide what beach access they will allow.