The Ontario Provincial Police have issued a statement warning swimmers to be careful, after series of drownings that has left at least seven people dead so far in August.

In Ontario, where most of the drowning deaths have occurred, the provincial police released a statement on Friday, "reminding the public to exercise caution when it comes to any water related activity as the increased rainfall this summer has created very dangerous water conditions in many of our lakes and rivers."

Three men drowned while cliff jumping at Moon River Falls on Aug. 2. One of the men was from Barrie, another from Mississauga and the third was visiting from Poland.

Another Mississauga man, 53-year-old Ghulam Badar succumbed to his injuries overnight on Thursday. He had jumped into the water at Bala Falls on Wednesday to try to rescue his 9-year-old niece, who was floating on the surface in turbulent water in a lifejacket. The girl's father also died in the rescue attempt. She survived unhurt.

Both sets of waterfalls are popular destinations during the summer months, and both are fairly small. But the waters flowing over them had swollen due to recent heavy rainfall.

"This year, it certainly seems that Ontario anyway, the natural environment or the elements are much more of a factor than other years," says Barbara Byers, public education director at The Lifesaving Society.

"There's been more rain, so the water levels are higher. The temperature has been cooler, so the water has been colder. There seems to be more current," she says. "All of those factors alone make it much more of a concern."

Dangers in open water

The Canadian Red Cross has also posted a message on its website stating that it's "deeply concerned about the number of drowning and near-drowning incidents this summer and is strongly urging Canadians to make safety a priority."

"When you're in open water the conditions are not controlled and there are often a lot of elements you can't see from standing on shore," said Nita Singh, a spokesperson for the Canadian Red Cross' Ontario division. "It may look calm and then it's only once you get in to the water you realize that it's stronger than you are."

Outside of Ontario, an unidentified 18-year-old man drowned in a body of water called First Pond on Thursday evening near Forteau, Nfld. -- despite efforts by friends and family to save him. The RCMP is investigating his death.

And earlier this week, police in Calgary asked for the public's help to find a kayak owned by a Michigan State University student whose body washed up on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River on July 29. Police believe that Jay Thomas Roberson, 36, had been paddling in the boat at the time of his death.

It's not clear yet whether the number of drownings in 2009 is unusually high.

The Lifesaving Society says that based on official coroner's reports, nearly 500 people drowned across the country in 2005 (which is the most recent year national data is available). That's up from 433 drowning deaths a year earlier.

The Lifesaving Society advises swimmers to:

  • Take a lifesaving course to learn what to do in the event of an emergency
  • Keep children within arms reach near water
  • Opt to swim under lifeguard supervision where possible
  • At unfamiliar bodies of water, ask people from the area whether it's safe to swim

About a third of Canada's drownings happen in Ontario, according to the Lifesaving Society. It's the second leading cause of preventable death for children under age 10, and the third leading cause of accidental death for Canadians 60 years old or younger.

"Swimming and recreating and boating on the water is great. There's more fresh water in Canada than any country in the world. We freeze all winter; it's great we all want to go out in summer," Byers says. "But if people were a little but more cautious, a little bit more respectful of the water, most of these fatalities could be prevented."