Trespassing at the Scarborough Bluffs is both dangerous and expensive

It’s summertime in Toronto, which means residents will be heading outdoors to the city’s numerous parks.

And one of the most popular spots in the east end is the Scarborough Bluffs.

What you may not know is that the Bluffs stretch for about 15 km along the Lake Ontario shore, from the Eastern Beaches of Toronto in the west, to East Point Park in the east.

According to the City of Toronto, the Scarborough Bluffs are a significant geological feature resulting from the accumulation of sedimentary deposits over 12,000 years ago. They were formed by the natural processes of wind and water erosion from Lake Ontario.

Nowadays, the 15 km stretch is home to 11 parks, many of which have epic viewpoints.

Scarborough Bluffs / Shutterstock

And every year, thrill seekers cross the safety boundaries along the park, and end up needing to be rescued by Toronto police and firefighters.

Over the weekend, Toronto firefighters rescued two teens from the Scarborough Bluffs.

See also

• Toronto Fire urges public not to climb Scarborough Bluffs following dangerous rescues
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“As always, please obey signage around the Bluffs. Venturing where you shouldn’t puts you and others at risk. Stay safe,” tweeted the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association following the rescue.

The City of Toronto said that in 2018, there were 16 rescue incidents at the Bluffs, which required 123 fire service vehicles. They also said that “emergency response vehicles were committed to rescues for more than 7,229 minutes, or 120 hours.”

They call this a “significant Toronto Fire labour and equipment resources” used for rescue incidents.

Significant labour and equipment resources are used when there is a rescue incident at the Scarborough Bluffs… #Toronto #safety https://t.co/XOg9kQ6Db5

— Toronto Firefighters (@TPFFA) July 8, 2019

And besides the dangers of trying to capture that perfect picture, or selfie, there is also a fine associated with trespassing.

The City of Toronto’s Municipal Licensing and Standards division enforces the Parks Bylaw 608-2 which has an offence for restricted areas.

The offence states the while in a park, no person shall enter into areas posted to prohibit or restrict admission of the public, according to city staff. This offence has a set fine of $205.

Is all this worth that selfie?

“The Bluffs are a beautiful place to see,” said Toronto Fire Chief Matthew Pegg. “From a safe distance.”

Once again, @Toronto_Fire is deploying rescuers on high angle ropes to rescue people from the Scarborough bluffs. @TorontoPolice @TorontoMedics on scene as well. The bluffs are a beautiful place to see – from a safe distance!

— Matthew Pegg (@ChiefPeggTFS) July 8, 2019