'Full, full, full': parents left frustrated over lack of swimming lesson spots
Frustrated and left with few options – that's how many Winnipeg parents were feeling Tuesday after they couldn't get their kids into swimming lessons.
It was Winnipeg's leisure guide signup Tuesday morning, however, several parents took to social media to vent over a lack of swimming lesson spots.
"Full, full, full – all my options were full," said Lindsay Primmer, a mother of three. "I went basically back to scratch to everything on every single class and that was at 8:03 (a.m.)"
Primmer said even with multiple backup choices, all three of her kids under nine were shut out in three minutes.
"It's a life skill, I'm really concerned," Primmer said. "I have children that don't know how to swim."
Community services committee chair Coun. John Orlikow said there is still a shortage of lifeguards and instructors leading to fewer spots – a hangover from the pandemic.
"As we reopened, we quickly realized a lot of those lifeguards weren't coming back," Orlikow said.
He said many lifeguards found other jobs during pandemic lockdowns and layoffs. This also led to a shortage of swimming spaces last year and wading pool closures.
With federal money, the city is paying for training costs to boost the number of lifeguards, which was identified as a financial barrier.
Orlikow says around 70 new applicants are currently being trained.
Getting those people back in is going to take us a little time, so we ask for a little patience," Orlikow said. "But we are working as best we can to get those positions filled."
Lifesaving Society Manitoba said this is a North America-wide problem. The society is still trying to play catch up, as prior to the pandemic it trained 1,000 lifeguards and instructors annually.
"Those numbers just nosedived during the pandemic," said Christopher Love, the water smart and safety coordinator with the society, adding in 2022, they had about 900.
While the city shores up staff, there are private options for parents. However, those are more expensive.
"I don't have a few hundred dollars to spend on my children to teach them to swim," Primmer said.
On Tuesday, the city's executive policy committee voted on a budget amendment to add $150,000 for lifeguard recruitment and retention.
In a statement to CTV News, the city said there are currently 1,057 swimming lesson courses being offered this spring.
"In comparison, there were 2,118 courses completed in Spring 2019, 1,500 offered in Fall 2022, and 1,340 offered in Winter 2023," a spokesperson with the city said.
A graph showing the number of available swimming lessons in Winnipeg from Spring 2019 to Spring 2023
The city said 84 per cent of swimming lessons have been filled for spring 2023 and people are encouraged to still sign up for the lessons that are left.
The city also noted there are 255 instructors employed right now, with the goal to get up to 300 before summer operations.
"We continue to actively recruit, and every effort is being made to fill vacancies as quickly as possible. It’s anticipated that it will still take some time to return to full staffing levels and the restoration of services."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Trudeau's latest pre-budget pledge targets millennial moms, vowing $1B in loans for more child-care spaces
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
Calgary officer charged after allegedly assaulting handcuffed man
A Calgary police officer has been charged after allegedly assaulting a handcuffed man two years ago.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
How do you navigate the social media minefield with your kids?
Growing fears about social media's harm have sparked lawsuits against social media companies from hundreds of school districts in the United States and now Canada. CTVNews.ca wants to know whether your children are addicted to social media or if you have concerns about their usage of platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and X.