‘Double the numbers’: Free training helps ease Quebec’s lifeguard shortage

For the first time since COVID-19 restrictions were imposed in 2020, the subsequent shortage of lifeguards Quebec has experienced in recent years has slowed. Experts say a Quebec government initiative to cover the costs of lifeguarding training has been a game-changer.

“I told the government, listen, in the next few years if we don’t do something special, we will close swimming facilities because we will be short lifeguards and instructors,” said Raynald Hawkins of the Quebec Lifesaving Society.

“Since we have the free training program, we double the numbers.”

In September 2022, the Quebec government committed $25 million over five years to offer free aquatic certifications across Quebec, including the bronze cross and bronze medallion courses, and the NLS lifeguarding certification. Hawkins said those courses together, along with instructor training, can run between $1,200 and $1,500.

“I spoke to my members, and at least 30 per cent said they would not do the course if they had to pay for it,” Hawkins said.

The number of people enrolled in aquatic certification programs across the province went up 40 per cent since the government started subsidizing the courses. Before this year, Quebec was dealing with a shortage of around 3,000 lifeguards.

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The city of Montreal says it hasn’t had an issue hiring lifeguards to staff its many outdoor municipal pools this summer.

“Human resources told me there were enough lifeguards for this season, we don’t have to complain and that is not an issue,” said Philippe Sabourin, a spokesperson for the City of Montreal executive committee.

The Westmount YMCA says it had no problem hiring 30 lifeguards for a full staff this year.

“Definitely right after the sanitary restrictions of COVID it was a big challenge because there was no one available,” said Benjamin Grecoff, the assistant site manager for the Westmount and NDG YMCAs.

“Today we have met our needs and we are offering all of our programs, but definitely last year it was difficult.”

Grecoff agrees that the free certification programming offered has seen a big increase in the number of people signing up for courses.

“This has definitely helped us increase our participation and it has definitely encouraged a lot of young people to take on the courses,” he said.

Hawkins says he is hoping the government’s free training program will become permanent.

” I think we need to work to maintain the status quo with this training program because we saw right way the impact with the numbers,” he said, adding that other provinces in Canada have been speaking with him and are interested in mimicking the Quebec subsidized program.