BURST
The number of people who have drowned in B.C. so far this year is around 50 per cent higher than the same time last year.
According to Lenea Grace, executive director of the Lifesaving Society B.C. and Yukon, there have been at least 39 accidental drownings so far this year. One of the latest cases was a 13-year-old girl who fell off a paddleboard in Cultus Lake on Saturday and whose body was recovered on Monday.
At this time last year, there had been 26 recorded accidental drownings.
“Compared to the data we had at this time last year, we’ve seen a significant increase,” Grace said. The agency gets its data from the Drowning Prevention Research Centre of Canada.
Generally, at this time of the year, the number is not higher than 30, Grace said.
“There’s no one explanation. Our suspicion is there are more people recreating on the water this year. And one trend we are noticing is that many of the cases involve people who are not wearing life-jackets. Drowning is preventable. Our No. 1 tip for summer is to wear a life-jacket. It is a simple step that can mean the difference between life and death.”
Last month, the B.C. Coroners Service released annual drowning data from 2015 through 2025.
It showed that in those 11 years, the worst year for drowning was 2023, when 120 people drowned.
There were 98 drowning deaths in 2024 and 93 in 2025.
About 80 per cent of people who drowned were male. Drugs or alcohol were contributing factors in about 40 per cent of cases.
Around 73 per cent of people drowned in lakes, rivers or the ocean.
Thirty-three people drowned in Okanagan Lake, 12 in Harrison Lake and six each in Alouette and Cultus lakes, the data showed. Forty-eight people drowned in the Fraser River, 13 in the Thompson River and seven in the Cowichan River.
About 14 per cent of drownings occurred in bathtubs — primarily children left unattended.
“Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children under the age of five,” Grace said. “Drowning can happen in an inch of water and it can happen in seconds.”
On a positive note, Grace said, the City of Surrey this year began offering free swimming lessons for residents ages three to 12. The City of Vancouver is also investigating a way to offer free swim lessons for children.
“Swim lessons are a crucial part of the puzzle when it comes to adding layers of protection from drowning,” Grace said.