Ontario is a big province with many natural bodies of water, such as lakes, ponds, and rivers. Our landscape is almost as diverse as our population. Ontario has many different communities, cultures, and spoken languages. Our industry may not be as dependent on fishing as the maritime provinces, but tourism is the economic foundation for many rural communities across the province. Cottage culture plays a big role in Ontario, and many Ontario residents and visitors participate in water-related activities year-round.
Fatal drowning in Ontario accounts for approximately 4 in 10 of the total number of drowning deaths in Canada.
Ontario’s fatal drowning trends align with the following national trends:
- Men are much more likely to experience a fatal drowning than women.
- Adults aged 50 and older make up around half of all fatal drowning.
- Most fatal drowning takes place in natural bodies of water such as lakes, ponds, and rivers.
- Only 1% of fatal drowning takes place in lifeguard-supervised settings.
- Most fatal drowning takes place during the warmer months of May through September.
- Approximately 1 in 3 drowning deaths associated with boating involve people under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
There are some ways that fatal drowning statistics in Ontario diverge from the national averages:
- The percentage of drowning deaths associated with aquatic activities (the person intended to be in the water), and bathing are slightly higher in Ontario than the national average.
- All fatal drowning among children under the age of 5 involved absent or distracted adult supervision in Ontario. This is compared to the national average of nine in 10.
- Not wearing a lifejacket is a factor in a greater percentage of fatal drowning among all age groups in Ontario as compared to the national average.
Ontario’s non-fatal drowning trends suggest the following:
- Non-fatal drowning is at least 4 times more common than fatal drowning.
- Young people, particularly those aged 0-4 years, are most likely to experience non-fatal drowning that requires a visit to the emergency department or hospitalization.
- Approximately 2 in 3 emergency visits and hospitalizations for non-fatal drowning occur among males.
The most recent Ontario drowning reports can be found here.