Ontario addresses lifeguard shortage by reducing the age requirement
Ontario lowered the minimum age requirement to become a lifeguard to 15 years old to address a staffing shortage across the province.
Lifeguards, assistant lifeguards and aquatic instructors can now be 15 years of age instead of 16.
"We have been experiencing a significant shortage in lifeguards, especially since the pandemic with all of the closures of pools. By changing the age for working lifeguards to 15, it actually matches what the Lifesaving Society already has in place," said Stephanie Bakalar, with the Lifesaving Society of Ontario.
"Since 2020, we have been certifying lifeguards at 15 so they can start working right away at 16," Bakalar added.
The Lifesaving Society of Ontario says 33 per cent of lifeguards certified in 2022 were 15 years old, adding that multiple courses have to be completed before being certified.
"The national lifeguard program is actually designed to account for maturity. We evaluate knowledge, judgment, fitness and skills. We know that our lifeguards are ready to work once they've completed the program. Less than one per cent of drownings occur in lifeguard-supervised settings. This shows the success of our program," said Bakalar.
The Lifesaving Society said roughly 170 drownings occur each year in Ontario, and roughly 500 within Canada.
The Recreation Centre in Orillia said recruiting lifeguards hasn't been easy, which is why they're hoping this announcement will get 15-year-olds in the area thinking about becoming a lifeguard.
"This is definitely a step in the right direction in helping us overcome some of the obstacles in recruiting lifeguards. We need a lot of lifeguards in order to operate pools and beaches and provide swimming lessons to the community," said Marcia Russell, director of recreation with the Town of Orillia.
"We're always looking for 20 or 30 lifeguards. It takes approximately 140 hours to become a fully trained lifeguard," Russell noted.
With this new regulation, it is now up to employers to decide whether they are ready to hire certified 15-year-old lifeguards.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.