Red Cross swimming program coming to an end in 2022
The Canadian Red Cross will no longer be providing swimming and lifeguard lessons.
The organization has been teaching people how to swim for three-quarters of a century, but it said it needs to direct more attention toward areas such as its disaster and pandemic response.
"The move ends an era that began in 1946 – when drowning rates in Canada were considerably higher than those we see today. Since then, Red Cross has provided swim training and lifesaving skills to more than 40 million Canadians," the organization said in a release.
"We are enormously proud of what we have accomplished in providing water safety training and we are truly grateful to entire generations of staff and volunteers who dedicated themselves to creating a program of the highest standard," said CEO Conrad Sauvé, in a news release.
Aqua Essence Swim Academy is a training partner with the Red Cross and Rishona Hyman, the owner and founder of the academy, said they found about the news on Tuesday.
She said she was surprised by the decision.
"Honestly, my initial thought was that it's an end of era," said Hyman. "Everyone took Red Cross lessons, like everyone we know, it's just what you did."
Hyman added the Red Cross has been a constant presence since her business opened 20 years ago and there will now be a "void".
"It's very emotional."
She said the Red Cross lessons will be in place for the rest of the year but organizations are being told to transition to different options.
The Red Cross said companies should shift to programs offered by the Lifesaving Society of Canada.
A spokesperson for the City of Winnipeg said the Red Cross will continue to support the city for the rest of the year as it works on a transition.
"Leisure Guide Learn to Swim programming will continue as offered and planned for now, with no changes to the current Winter session. Additional information will be shared as we work with the Canadian Red Cross on this transition," the spokesperson said.
They added they don't believe the transition between programs will impact the ability to provide quality lessons.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
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.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Record-breaking N.B. lottery winner kept winning ticket on dresser for nearly a year
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Gangs netting up to US$3 trillion a year as Southeast Asia human trafficking becomes a global crisis, Interpol says
Human trafficking-fuelled fraud is exploding in Southeast Asia with organized crime rings raking in close to US$3 trillion in illicit revenue annually, the head of Interpol has said in comments that reveal the huge profits being earned by cartels.