Lifeguard 'vacuum' putting squeeze on pool hours

Faced with a shortage of new lifeguards and a high turnover of existing ones, the City of Ottawa is regularly at risk of having to cut opening hours at its swimming pool hours and even cancel some of its aquatic programs. 

Patrick Fournier, the supervisor of recreational programs at the St-Laurent Complex, said between September 2018 and May 2019 Ottawa hired 266 new lifeguards out of the city's 1,350 lifeguard positions; a turnover of almost 20 per cent in eight months.

He said two factors appear to be at play: the extensive training required for what's a part-time job for many, combined with the challenge of retaining hirees.

"We do have a lot of our staff that either move out of town or get full time jobs," said Fournier.

"It's hard to pinpoint exactly what the cause is, but it's definitely a trend we've been seeing in the past three to four years."

The problem is not isolated to Ottawa.

"We have heard from other municipalities that they've had to close down pools or cancel programs because of a lack of lifeguards," said Fournier. 

"Luckily we're not there yet, but we seem to always be very close to that point. We're coming down to the wire all the time."

The Ontario Lifesaving Society said the shortage has intensified over the last five years as more students take on extra coursework or jobs in their field, and also compete for different jobs at the pool.

"More people are taking swimming lessons, so there's a higher demand for instructors. Lifeguards are upgrading, they get paid more per hour for lessons," said program director Perry Smith.

"It leaves a bit of a vacuum at the lifeguarding entry level, a constant rotation of staff."

He said smaller communities are at a further disadvantage as post-secondary students are gone most of the year.

Ottawa city pools looking for new lifeguards amid shortage

5 years ago

Duration 0:52

Patrick Fournier, supervisor of recreational programs at the St-Laurent Complex, says Ottawa has seen a shortage of lifeguards over the last few years.

Training incentives in the works

New lifeguards in Ottawa are paid $15.41 an hour.

Fournier points to the flexible hours and the chance to work in the community as incentives for many and said the city is making an effort to ease the burden of training.

"We're trying to create an accelerated program for kids who have a strong swimming background so they can get through the program a little bit faster," said Fournier.

Another possibility he said might be worth offering is the city's Hand in Hand program, which gives financial help for people in low-income situations who want to register for a city program.

"If they want to, they could use it toward their lifeguarding courses," said Fournier.

Smith said municipalities that do it right are proactive about recruiting young lifeguards out of schools, as well as older people who are gearing up for retirement, and who are sometimes guaranteed jobs once they're done training.