As temperatures rise, parents of young children are being warned about the dangers associated with open and unsecured windows. The emergency department at B.C. Children’s Hospital treated 23 injuries related to falls from windows and balconies last year—a sharp increase from the 15 recorded in 2024. Several children have died in similar incidents across the country over recent months as well, including a toddler who fell from a Toronto apartment building on May 10. As families start opening windows for better ventilation, B.C. Children’s and B.C. Emergency Health Services have shared advice to help minimize risks—including installing locks that prevent windows from being opened more than 10 centimetres. “Kids, they’re naturally curious—they’re climbing while they’re crawling, even before they’re walking,” said Brian Twaites, public information officer with BCEHS. “And they can fit through a space of 12 centimetres.” Window locks are cheap and readily available at most hardware stores, Twaites said, but families should make sure they choose locks with a safety release so they can be opened in the event of a fire. B.C. Children’s and BCEHS have also recommended that families keep furniture and planters away from windows and balconies—and never rely on screens to keep kids from falling out of windows. “Screens are really good at keeping the bugs out,” Twaites said. “They’re not great at keeping the kids in.” Parents should also have a conversation with children who are old enough about the dangers of playing near windows and balconies, Twaites said. Last November, an eight-year-old girl died after falling from the 23rd floor of a condo in Vancouver’s Yaletown neighbourhood, in what investigators determined to be a tragic accident. Twaites noted that accidents can happen in the blink of an eye, which is why families should always consider the risks. “It is so quick,” he said. “That’s why we want to get the word out.”
