It has been a deadly summer on the water across Ontario.
There have been 57 drownings since the start of the year, with 30 of those having happened in July alone, according to the Life Saving Society.
The grim statistics show a strong correlation between warm, sunny weather and drownings. There have also been 12 boating-related fatalities and eight private pool drownings this year.
Earlier this month, a 20-year-old man died while swimming in Cavendish Lake in Trent Lakes Township. On the same day, a 33-year-old mother drowned after trying to save her 6-year-old son on Lake Ontario at the Pickering Waterfront. The following day, the OPP Dive Team and Marine Unit recovered the body of a 53-year-old woman from Erin, Ont., who was swimming with friends in the Trent-Severn Waterway.
With the long weekend ahead, Barrie Police are stressing the importance of checking boats for required safety equipment, so boaters aren't left scrambling during an emergency.
Officials with the City of Barrie are encouraging parents to keep a close eye on little ones at the beach. The City of Barrie Recreation Services provides a loaner program for life jackets of all sizes at Centennial and Johnson's beaches.
