Does Prince Edward Island have a 50 metre pool?

No. Island swimmers rely on meets in other provinces for long-course racing. PEI's principal indoor competition pool is the eight-lane, 25 metre pool at UPEI's Bell Aliant Centre in Charlottetown.

Do 25 metre pools still need backstroke flags at both ends?

Yes. Both ends need a flagged rope 5.0 metres from the wall. In a 25 metre pool that leaves 15 metres between the two lines.

Why couldn't Charlottetown's new pool be certified by Swimming Canada?

A survey for certification found the Simmons Sports Centre outdoor pool slightly shorter than 25 metres. Swimming Canada allows some leeway for a pool that is long but not one that is short. Corrective work began in September 2026.

Prince Edward Island

Backstroke Flags in Prince Edward Island

In short

Swim PEI governs club competition on Prince Edward Island, which has no 50 metre pool, so Island swimmers rely on meets in other provinces for long-course racing. The principal indoor competition pool is the eight-lane, 25 metre pool at UPEI's Bell Aliant Centre in Charlottetown, with stadium seating for 660.

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50 m pools on the Island: 8 × 25 m
UPEI competition pool: 660
Stadium seats at the Bell Aliant Centre

SourcesBell Aliant Centre, Aquatics FacilityCBC News, PEI swimmers and the long-course pool (Feb 2020)CBC News, Simmons Sports Centre pool too short to certify (Aug 2026)The Canadian Press via paNOW, corrective work begins (Sept 2026)Swimming Canada, Facility Rules & Guidelines

Who governs swimming on Prince Edward Island

Swim PEI operates from Charlottetown and oversees registered club competition across the island.

A short-course province

The aquatics facility at UPEI's Bell Aliant Centre houses an eight-lane, 25 metre competition pool with two 1 metre diving boards, a 3 metre board and stadium seating for 660, alongside a leisure pool, a toddler pool and a hot tub. It is the island's principal indoor competition venue.

There is no 50 metre pool on the Island. As CBC News reported in 2020, when two PEI swimmers qualified for Olympic trials, Island swimmers who need long-course times rely on meets held in other provinces.

Charlottetown's new pool, and why millimetres matter

The City of Charlottetown's outdoor pool at the new Simmons Sports Centre opened on 22 June 2025, built to be 25 metres long. In August 2026 CBC News reported that a third-party survey, done as part of its application for Swimming Canada certification, found it slightly shorter than the length acceptable for certification.

Swimming Canada's director of sport development, Michelle Killins, said there is some leeway if a pool is long but none if it is short, that records set in a short pool will not be ratified, and that the situation is more common than people think. The Canadian Press reported that corrective work, grinding, sealing and repainting the pool, began on 11 September 2026, with a provincial survey to follow before certification.

Common questions

Does Prince Edward Island have a 50 metre pool?: No. Island swimmers rely on meets in other provinces for long-course racing. PEI's principal indoor competition pool is the eight-lane, 25 metre pool at UPEI's Bell Aliant Centre in Charlottetown.
Do 25 metre pools still need backstroke flags at both ends?: Yes. Both ends need a flagged rope 5.0 metres from the wall. In a 25 metre pool that leaves 15 metres between the two lines.
Why couldn't Charlottetown's new pool be certified by Swimming Canada?: A survey for certification found the Simmons Sports Centre outdoor pool slightly shorter than 25 metres. Swimming Canada allows some leeway for a pool that is long but not one that is short. Corrective work began in September 2026.