Lifeguard shortage forces Metro Vancouver cities to limit pool programs, capacity

A shortage of available lifeguards and swim instructors has forced cities in Metro Vancouver to limit programs and pool capacity while they search for staff.

The shortage of qualified workers to fill these jobs is something municipalities across Canada have been grappling with, citing a pandemic-induced pause on certification programs as the key reason.

In Vancouver, these programs being limited or cancelled entirely has created a "two-year delay between potential new hires for lifeguards and swim instructors and current staff," according to an email from a city spokesperson.

While the city is stepping up outreach to try and recruit for the open positions, the shortage will mean that the number of people allowed in pools will be reduced.

"The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation is aware that pool capacity is an ongoing concern at many of the aquatic facilities as residents look to book times for their activities," the spokesperson writes.

"Capacity for pools is not based on the size of the facility itself. Each location in Vancouver has re-evaluated their total capacity for the amount of people allowed in a pool at any given time based on a visitor-to-lifeguard ratio."

In Surrey, the city has a warning posted on its website for anyone looking to register for summer programs.

"Due to a shortage of lifeguards, swim instructors, and aquafit instructors, we can only offer a limited amount of aquatic programs. Your continued patience is appreciated as we work towards hiring & training staff to restart normalized operations," it says.

Similarly, a tweet from the City of Delta said hours of operation and lessons at every pool in the city have been impacted.

"We are working to recruit additional lifeguards to allow for the safe return to full pool capacity," it reads.

Due to shortages of lifeguards, hours of operation and lessons schedules at all pools have been impacted. We are working to recruit additional lifeguards to allow for the safe return to full pool capacity.

Interested in becoming a lifeguard? Apply today: https://t.co/t4rA25mKVt pic.twitter.com/AgV8AKjIdk

— City of Delta (@CityofDeltaBC) July 7, 2022

The Lifesaving Society's B.C. and Yukon branch publishes annual statistics on how many people have completed certification courses. In its 2021 annual report, the organization says it is "not quite back to pre-pandemic educational capacity."

National Lifeguard certification is required to get a job at a city pool, beach or waterpark. In 2019, there were 5,188 of these issued. In 2020, there were only 2,570. Last year there were 4,607.

In order to pursue that level of certification, a Bronze Cross is required. In 2019, there were 3,401 of those issued. In 2020, the number plummeted to 919. Last year there were 2,653.

In West Vancouver, the city is offering people who have already obtained a Bronze Cross free training to become certified as a lifeguard and swim instructor in an effort to fill vacant positions. That training is currently underway, with hiring expected to take place next week.