Gentle reminder to check in and see how your friends are doing, especially if they own house on the lake.
What happened: Canadians could soon find it difficult to cool down this summer as lifeguard labour shortages start to impact beaches and pools across the country.
Two key factors are at play here, per The Wall Street Journal. First, employer demand for workers is red-hot, with Canada’s unemployment rate sitting at record lows. Second, workers are switching jobs (especially out of low-paying jobs like community services) at high rates.
Couple that with the lack of training, certifying and testing lifeguards during COVID lockdowns, and it’s looking like a bummer of a swim season in some parts of the country:
-
In Nova Scotia, organizers are struggling to fill lifeguard positions at beaches, which may leave some areas unsupervised and put swim programs at risk.
- In Ontario, lifeguard shortages have also started to affect the number of programs available, and some cities have announced a reduction in facility hours.
Edmonton’s outdoor pools have also reduced operations to July and August for budgetary reasons, while others in the country have shut down entirely. The private backyard pool may be no escape, either: Pool builders are currently struggling to meet unprecedented demand.
- The lack of trained lifeguard labour and city spending could prevent over 4,700 public pools and the country’s beaches from operating at full capacity or opening at all.
Why it matters: These are crucial months for all businesses that depend on a summer boom, like ice cream shops and boat and bike rentals. If labour shortages don’t ease up, prepare for limited services, waiting lists, and higher prices.