B.C. EHS issues water-safety warning after rise in drownings

BC Emergency Health Services is urging people to take added precautions around water after a rise in drownings across the province, including recent incidents in Maple Ridge.

A BC Coroners Service report recorded 40 accidental drowning deaths from May 1 to July 16, compared with 26 during the same period in 2025, according to BCEHS paramedic and public information officer Brian Twaites.

In Maple Ridge, a two-year-old child was found in medical distress after falling into Whonnock Lake on July 27 and was airlifted to hospital. On Aug. 3, a person drowned in the Gold Creek Lower Falls area.

Twaites and the Lifesaving Society of BC and Yukon say properly fitted lifejackets or personal flotation devices are essential near or on the water. Lifejackets can help keep an unconscious person face-up. The society says fewer than one per cent of drownings in B.C. occur in lifeguard-supervised settings.

There are no lifeguards at Whonnock Lake Park, the main beach at Alouette Lake in Golden Ears Provincial Park or Rolley Lake. Officials advise parents to keep children within arm’s reach at unsupervised beaches, avoid alcohol and recreational drugs during water activities, and ensure weaker swimmers use a buddy system or a flotation device.

The warning also applies to wading pools: they should be drained after use and toys removed. Residents are encouraged to learn swimming and CPR, as drowning can happen quickly and silently.