Water Safety Starts with Welcome
Pools, beaches, lakes, rivers, and oceans offer opportunities to move, connect, and have fun. These environments can also feel unfamiliar or present serious risks for people who have had limited opportunities to learn to swim or develop water safety knowledge.
For many new-to-Canada participants, joining an aquatic program can mean navigating unfamiliar rules, language barriers, costs, different expectations around swimwear, and uncertainty about what to expect.
Aqua Welcome is a free, practical guide that helps organizations create safer, clearer, and more welcoming aquatic programs.
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The Checklist for Aquatic Programs helps organizations review 8 areas to better support new-to-Canada participants:
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Quality is Key
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Optimal Programming
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Inclusion is Non-Negotiable
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Collaboration Makes the System Better
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Developmentally Appropriate Activities
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Life-long Participation
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Continuous Improvement
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Marketing and Communications
Beyond the checklist, the guide includes practical strategies to address 6 common barriers, along with examples from Greater Victoria that other communities can adapt to their own context.
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