National Drowning Prevention Week runs from July 19 to 25. Led by the Lifesaving Society, this year’s theme is “Prepare to be Water Smart.” The week includes World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25. Madison Lalonde, managing director of the Lifesaving Society Alberta and Northwest Territories, says everyone should know at least the basic skills needed to survive an unexpected fall into the water. “What we say is, at least knowing how to swim to survive,” Lalonde said. “That is emulating a fall into the water, being able to tread water for one minute so that you can have enough time to kind of calm yourself and know where to swim to safety. “Being able to swim 50 metres could potentially save your life.” The warning comes as Alberta RCMP announced Tuesday that search crews had recovered the body of the province’s latest reported drowning victim. Ponoka RCMP were called to Centennial Pond at about 9:50 p.m. on July 16 after witnesses heard a man calling for help from the middle of the pond. Police said the man went under the water and did not resurface. His body was recovered the following day. The 62-year-old Ponoka resident was not wearing a life-preserver and had reportedly been swimming in an area where signs warned people not to enter the pond. Lalonde says preliminary reports suggest Alberta has recorded seven – possibly eight – drowning deaths so far this year, compared with five by the same point last year. The Alberta Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not yet released its official drowning statistics for 2026. While children remain vulnerable and require close supervision, Lalonde says adult men account for roughly three-quarters of drowning deaths. Many fatal incidents involve people swimming, boating or spending time near open water. Common risk factors include not wearing a lifejacket, consuming alcohol or drugs and being alone. Swim 4 life One Calgary program is trying to reduce those risks by making swimming lessons free for families who might not otherwise be able to afford them. The Swim 4 Life program is a partnership between the Youth Empowerment and Skills Centre, Sport Calgary and the Forest Lawn Outdoor Pool. Participants receive six free swimming lessons focused on water safety and basic survival skills. Gar Gar, founder of the Youth Empowerment and Skills Centre, says the idea grew out of seeing children eager to get into the water but lacking the skills to do so safely. “It’s every kid that deserve to be in the water, but safely,” Gar said. “It’s having the opportunity for every kid to have that dream.” The response has far exceeded expectations. Organizers initially planned for 24 children but quickly expanded after receiving more than 100 expressions of interest. More than 150 children are now on a waiting list. “This shows there is a demand, but also there is a huge fear that there’s families there that really wanted to learn how to swim, and this is just the beginning,” Gar said. The program also teaches parents, many of whom have never learned to swim themselves. “We were able not only the kids to have six lessons, but also the parents to have six lessons, because sometimes most of the parents here, they’re sitting outside not because they don’t want to, but even sometimes they don’t know how to swim,” Gar said. Gar says cost is one of the biggest barriers. Six lessons for one child can total several hundred dollars, making them out of reach for many families. “Some families are working two jobs, worrying about putting food on the table, worrying about bills,” Gar said. “So that costs even around $400, $500 for one family, let alone even thinking about five kids that are home.” Gar says instructors quickly discovered many children believed they were stronger swimmers than they actually were. “When they did that test, we saw 90 per cent of the kids that needed a life jacket, but when they came in, they thought they were fine,” he said. By the second day, instructors were already seeing progress. “Even just keeping calm in the water, that becomes a huge problem,” Gar said. “By the second day when they started to learn, you start seeing them getting the concept of floating easy.” Candice Goudie, president of Sport Calgary, says there’s a high demand for swimming instruction across Calgary. “We know that swimming is a survival skill, obviously, and that it’s hard to access in Calgary,” Goudie said. “There are thousands of young people on waiting lists to learn how to swim.” She says teaching parents alongside their children is one of the program’s greatest strengths. “If you are a parent that has discomfort or unawareness or inability to swim, then the chances are you’re probably not going to go swimming with your child,” Goudie said. “I think that this is a really unique thing about this program; it is for both parents and kids.” Melissa Mascarenhas enrolled her 11-year-old son, Landon, hoping he will gain skills that could one day save his life. “When I was younger, we were taught the survival and how to swim in school,” Mascarenhas said. “If he goes out with his friends or if he’s by a river, or anywhere by himself, or with friends, or us, then he knows the necessities of how to adapt and how to stay safe.” Lalonde said she would like to see swimming lessons incorporated into school programming. “I would love for it to be part of the Phys ed program in schools, in any program really,” Lalonde said. “You know, the hardest part is getting sometimes transportation for the children, sometimes funding.” Mascarenhas says the free lessons make a significant difference. “It’s a little hard for us to get him in with lessons,” she said. “We try, we take him whenever we can, and so this is a big saviour here.” Landon says he has already learned new skills. “I learned how to glide,” he said. “I think I’m moderate at swimming, but I’d like to learn more.” Another participant, Gwyneth, says she hopes the lessons will help her become more confident in the water. “I’m not the best swimmer,” she said. “What I’m looking to learn through these classes is how to properly swim, keep myself afloat.” Jenna Dickey, aquatics manager for Calgary’s south outdoor pools, says the Swim to Survive curriculum teaches the basic skills needed to survive an unexpected fall into the water. “We’re just teaching the basics of water safety, how to enter the water safely, how to exit the water safely, how to get yourself to safety,” Dickey said. “Just like treading water, learning how to kick your legs, how to float — those types of skills that are really just the basic skills to keep you safe around the water.” She says removing financial barriers means more families can gain those skills. “This partnership with Sport Calgary has been awesome because we’ve been able to get as many people as we can in the water without having to worry about those barriers that they normally face,” Dickey said. Lalonde urged parents and caregivers to remember that drownings often happen much differently than people expect. “Drowning doesn’t look like it does in the movies. It can happen in seconds and it’s silent,” Lalonde said. “Please watch kids actively and closely and keep them within arm’s reach.”
