Drownings are killing hundreds of Canadians each year. Experts urge caution
Global News
The Canadian Drowning Prevention Coalition reports that more than 400 Canadians die from drowning annually. There have been 19 drownings in Quebec so far this year.
Warm weather is finally settling in, which means more time by pools, lakes and rivers across Canada this summer.
Water safety experts urge you to exercise caution around all bodies of water, whether you’re quickly cooling off or heading out for some laps.
Adam Di Fulvio, president and CEO of the Montreal Institute of Swimming, said drownings begin to ramp up at this time of year.
“It’s important that people — before you get in your pools, before you go on your lakes, rivers, boats — take a moment, reflect, assess, know the risks,” he said in an interview Tuesday with Global News Morning.
“Make sure that you’re doing everything possible to be safe and encourage safety amongst others that are with you as well.”
The Canadian Drowning Prevention Coalition reports that more than 400 Canadians die from drowning annually. Not only is drowning preventable, but it’s also “a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality” in the country and it is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide.
To date, the Quebec chapter of the Lifesaving Society has recorded 19 unofficial drownings in 2023. It reported 61 unofficial drownings in the province last year, down from 81 in 2021.
Di Fulvio said that “over the past year we’re going in the right direction,” but that was the annual number of drownings was still “slightly up, if not right around, our historical trends.”