Staff shortages could affect Edmonton pool hours, capacity limits: city
A province-wide labour shortage among lifeguards and swim instructors could make it harder to enjoy Edmonton's outdoor pools, according to the city.
Swimmers lined up outside Queen Elizabeth Pool before 6 a.m. Wednesday, eagerly awaiting the official start of outdoor swim season.
"We have such a short season, but being able to swim with the smell of the trees in the Kinsman, it's a real treat," said one swimmer.
"We swim indoors all winter and it's just a treat to get outside," said another.
The city said that summer treat may be limited this year as pools deal with staff shortages.
"With the pandemic, we just weren't getting people through the courses so there wasn't a large pool of people to draw from," said City of Edmonton Operations Supervisor Shauna Graham.
According to the Lifesaving Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories, Alberta is short 600 lifeguards. That impact is being felt across the province, said CEO Kelly Carter.
"What we are seeing is the impact more in rural Alberta, a lot more than urban Alberta, and of course those employers paying higher wages are attracting lifeguards a little bit easier," he said.
Certification requires about 110 hours of training and must be renewed every two years. That training takes about six months to a year in a condensed format, according to Carter.
"If we don't have lifeguards, obviously it impacts the accessibility for lane swims, for recreational opportunities and even for swimming lessons. And that contributes to the overall community health," he said.
The shortages are forcing pools across the province to make difficult decisions about hours and resources.
"We've been limiting how many people can swim so we can stay within the swimmer to lifeguard ratio. And there has been the odd day we have to shut early or open later," said Jamie Platz Family YMCA General Manager Heather Scherer.
The ratio of lifeguards to swimmers at YMCA locations is one lifeguard per 40 swimmers, said Scherer.
She added that across the four Edmonton locations, the YMCA is short about 100 staff members.
To help with the backlog, the YMCA is calling for support to cover the cost of training, which ranges from $700 to $1,500.
"If there were more grants out there to get more employees skilled, that would be amazing. The YMCA is a registered not-for-profit charity so we even do subsidize our members," said Scherer.
A spokesperson for the ministry of labour says prospective lifeguards can apply to two job grant programs (Canada-Alberta Job Grant and Transition to Employment Services) to cover part or all of their training.
Information on eligibility and how to apply is available online.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Chelan Skulski.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.