Newcomers learn lifesaving swimming lessons in Maritimes

Many newcomers are learning to swim in the Maritimes this summer.

The New Brunswick Lifesaving Society feels swimming is a necessary skill for all Maritimers.

“At the Lifesaving Society, we see numbers of badges that are purchased which has a strong correlation with the number of people that participate in swimming lessons,” says programs manager Grégoire Cormier.

“We know that new Canadians are a population that is at risk of drowning. There are a few theories before that, obviously the availability of swimming lessons in their country of origin might be lacking or the education portion might not be as pushed.

“Many come from land-locked countries with no oceans or lakes so water is a new thing to them so their opportunities before they came here were limited,” says Paul D’eon, director of the Nova Scotia Lifesaving Society.

“Most drownings occur within 50 metres of safety so if you can swim 50 metres. We have our swim to survive program, you have a sudden entry into water, you tread water, you swim 50 meters, that’s aimed at preventing drowning,” says D’eon.

The YWCA Halifax is also looking to break down barriers for new Canadians.

“For a lot of our participants and those we are working with, just getting into classes and finding classes that are available in their area of the city without having to travel so much but also culturally appropriate access to swimming and to locations,” says Laura Swaine, community program manager of the YWCA Halifax.

Swaine says for some women, it’s about having a space to learn how to swim that’s culturally appropriate, which means they need the viewing options looking towards the pool covered.

In the last few years they have worked closely with an organization called Alnaas. They primarily work with mother and daughters doing lots of community engagement and community activities.

“They are really interested in getting young people into the water and getting them swimming and getting them safely trained on how to do that. We have been helping them navigate the barriers. Like ensuring there is a female-identified life instructor, like a coach that does that for the Lifesaving Society, ensuring the pool is one that can be closed off so that the women and girls can swim safely in the ways they would like,” says Swaine.

The demand is high and they are working to open the doors to get these mothers and their children into the lessons.

“Making sure it’s something that’s accessible to them. It continues to be a challenge. I think that everyone’s working collaboratively to try and make that possible,” says Swaine.

The Lifesaving Society stresses the importance of everyone having access to lessons.

“For the last five years that we have data for which is 2018 to 2022 we are at 30 drawings or above and that’s per year for five years in a row and that’s quite worrisome,” says Cormier. “With the data that we have presented we are not able to pinpoint exactly the cause. There are new Canadians, which is a population that is known to not have as much water safety knowledge, not do they have access to swimming lessons as easily as we do.

“Less than one per cent of all drownings that occur in supervised areas so it’s proven that having lifeguards around, it adds an additional safety barrier.”

Cormier insists parents need to keep a close eye on their children. Other safety tips include wearing a life jacket and not drinking or smoking while you’re swimming.