Sutcliffe open to idea of extending beach season, but lifeguard shortage poses a challenge

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said a lifeguard shortage poses a challenge if Ottawa beaches need to stay open longer than usual, especially during summer-like temperatures.

Environment Canada issued heat warnings for Ottawa and the Valley this week as temperatures soared up to 30 degrees Celsius and above, but residents won’t be able to cool down at most of Ottawa’s beaches.

As of Sept. 4, beaches including Mooney’s Bay, Britannia, and Petrie Island are closed, but Mayor Sutcliffe told Wake Up With Rob Snow on Sept. 6 he’s open to the idea of extending the beach season. But one of the biggest challenges, he added, is a shortage of lifeguards, especially since the majority of them are students heading back to school in the fall.

“But, if the demand is there and there’s a good case for it and we can find the lifeguards to work at the beaches, then we’re always open to offering more service to residents,” he said. “But it’s been really challenging. Hiring right now is a real challenge.”

He also noted that it’s been difficult to fill positions in many departments, and opening up beaches during a heat wave is more complicated.

The City said Westboro Beach will remain open but will be unsupervised and recommends residents swim at supervised beaches.

In 2022, the City was forced to cancel many of its learn-to-swim classes because of a lifeguard shortage.

But, for Ottawa residents looking for a place to cool down, the National Capital Commission (NCC) has extended its swimming season at the NCC River House until Oct 1.

For families, splash pads remain open until Sept. 15.

With files from CityNews’ Chris Kurys.