With 450 fatal drownings in Canada each year, 22 in Saskatchewan, the province has declared July 20th to 26th, 2025, as Drowning Prevention Week.
"Each year, countless families and friends head out to enjoy Saskatchewan's beautiful lakes, rivers, and beaches," said Alana Ross, Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport. "But water safety is not just important for park visitors. It is critical for everyone who spends time around water, whether it is boating on the lake, swimming in a backyard pool or fishing on a quiet river."
"Things like wearing a life jacket, watching your kids around the water, and learning to swim are very important," said Shelby Rushton, CEO of Lifesaving Society Saskatchewan, an organization dedicated to preventing drowning and water-related injury.
"We really want people to wear those life jackets. They do not work if you don't wear them. They will keep you afloat if you fall into the water."
Keeping children within arm's reach is another important precaution for parents.
"Watch your kids. They move very fast. They're very curious about the water, and an incident could happen within seconds."
The leading causes of drowning are not wearing a life jacket, alcohol consumption, and cold water.
"Just like driving a vehicle, driving a boat, or swimming should not be done when you are impaired."
Rushton said that when someone falls unexpectedly into cold water, they might take a quick breath, swallow, or inhale water, which can lead to drowning faster.
She noted there are a lot of drowning near-misses in Saskatchewan, which is often thanks to having trained lifeguards and vigilant parents.
"Any of the municipal pools, they must have, by law, trained lifeguards on the deck when it's open to the public, whereas where we see the drownings occurring is in open water, so lakes, rivers, streams."
Another way to help stay safe in the water is to avoid swimming alone, especially if in open water.
Find out more about learning to swim or obtaining certification as a lifeguard HERE.