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The Ontario government is reviewing swimming pool regulations and the need for increased supervision around water after a number of recent drownings in class B pools.

After a recent series of pool-related drownings, the Ontario government is reviewing swimming pool regulations and the need for increased supervision around water.

As the weather remains hot and people flock to swimming pools to cool off, the risk of pool-related accidents increase, especially at facilities where lifeguards are not required. More than 12 people have drowned in Ontario since June 28, including two 14-year-old boys at an apartment pool and a 12-year-old boy at a hotel pool, prompting the province to focus on hotel and condominium (class B) swimming pools.

"We've carefully reviewed the need for an increase of safety measures at water facilities like public pools and we're looking at ways of addressing the issue. We acknowledge there is a need to increase safety measures," health ministry spokesman, Andrew Morrison, told the Toronto Star.

In related news, results from a study commissioned by The Lifesaving Society titled, The Influence of Ethnicity on Aquatic Participation and Drowning in Canada, were released last week in advance of the organization's National Drowning Prevention Week, which runs July 17-24, 2010. The study, which examined the influence of ethnicity on attitudes and behaviours surrounding water safety, showed new Canadians—particularly those who have been in the country for less than five years—are at a higher risk of drowning.

The organization plans to release a number of reports based on the study results, with hopes it will mark the beginning of more in-depth research to help strengthen education on water safety to all Canadians. To see the full report, visit http://www.lifesaving.ca/main.php?lang=english&cat=media&sub=New-Canadians-At-Higher-Risk.