Admission Standards for Public Pools were developed by the Office of the Chief Coroner to assist lifeguards and assistant lifeguards in maintaining adequate surveillance over the whereabouts and the activities of young bathers while they are inside the pool enclosure.
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care strongly supports these recommendations for the purposes of preventing injuries and fatalities.
- Children under the age of 10 years who are non-swimmers must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who is at least 12 years of age and responsible for their direct supervision. The ratio of non-swimmers to parent or guardian may be a maximum of 4 bathers to one parent or guardian (4:1). The ratio of non-swimmers to parent or guardian may be increased to a maximum of 8 bathers to one parent or guardian (8:1) if lifejackets are worn by all non-swimmers in their charge
- Children under the age of 10 who are swimmers (able to demonstrate comfort in the water and pass the facility swim test) may be admitted to the swimming pool unaccompanied.
- Children under the age of 6 years may not be admitted to the swimming pool unless they are accompanied by a parent or guardian who is responsible for their direct supervision, with a maximum of two children for each parent or guardian.
- Guardians or group leaders are responsible for the children in their care while in the facility and must directly supervise the children at all times.
- Guardians or group leaders should be at least 12 years of age.
- Ratios of instructors/lifeguards to bathers must also be maintained as per Regulation 565.
Class B Public Pools that do not require lifeguards still require bathers under twelve years of age to be accompanied by a parent or his or her agent who is not less than sixteen years of age.
Support Worker Admission
Participants 12 years of age or older who require support or supervision in the change rooms or who need assistance getting into or out of the pool must bring someone with them for this purpose. There is no charge for attendants who are required for in-water support for these swimmers.