People new to Canada, especially those who have been in Canada
for 5 years or less, are at a higher risk of drowning than people
born here. In fact, they are 4 times more likely to be unable to
swim than those born in Canada.
- Only 41% of new Canadians have taken formal swimming
lessons
- 74% cent of new Canadians enjoy swimming for fun and
recreation
- 71% of new Canadians see swimming as a safe activity for
themselves
- 78% see it as a safe activity for their children
People who come to Canada from countries where swimming and
swimming lessons are not a strong part of the culture are in a
particularly dangerous situation. The Lifesaving Society has
introduced several initiatives for new Canadians:
- Swim to Survive lessons in most provinces - in many provinces,
free
- Swim to Survive lessons during school time - in Ontario for
Grade 3 students
- Female-only lessons in many major cities including Toronto
- Swim to Survive handout in 26 languages
Drowning Prevention tips
Learn to swim. At a minimum, make sure everyone
in your family can achieve the Swim to Survive standard.
Take a lifesaving course and learn how to reduce the risk of
drowning, as well as what to do if something goes wrong.
Keep your children within arms' reach. Drowning
is a fast and silent killer. Whenever your children are around
water, keep your eyes on them and stay within arms' reach.
Protect yourself with a PFD. Always wear a
lifejacket or personal flotation device (PFD) when boating or
swimming if you are not a strong swimmer.
Swim with lifeguard supervision. Drownings in
areas supervised by lifeguards are rare. Whenever possible, choose
to swim in supervised areas.