UN Sustainable Development Goals

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  Good health and well-being

  Guided by humanitarian principles, the Society is the Canadian leader in the prevention of drowning and water-related injury. The Society’s WaterSmart and Swim to Survive programs are delivered nationwide and are strategically positioned to reduce drowning incidents among vulnerable populations. The Society firmly believes that basic swimming ability is an essential life skill and that survival swimming training provides lifelong protection against drowning.

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  Quality education

  Water Smart public education messages promote safe behaviours for Canadian residents and visitors who may be involved in unsupervised activities in, on, or around the water. Our targeted messages include Swim with a Buddy, Within Arm’s Reach (of preschoolers), Wear a Lifejacket, Check the ice, and Swim to Survive. Water Smart public education is delivered throughout the country through our Lifesaving Society programs and events such as National Drowning Prevention Week and Swim to Survive lessons, school and public presentations, traditional and social media, as well as through our many Lifesaving Society Affiliates and partnering organizations. Annually, over 1.5 million Canadians participate in our swimming, lifesaving, lifeguard and leadership training programs. Each year, the Lifesaving Society certifies thousands of instructors who provide leadership for our training programs, and over 30,000 Canadians earn the Bronze Medallion.

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  Gender equality

  In support of the Society's commitment to fostering an environment grounded in equity, diversity, inclusion and reconciliation, the Society developed an Inclusion Policy Statement, and promotes engagement of women and girls in its governance structures.

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  Decent work and economic growth

  The Society promotes decent work and economic growth by developing employment-ready skills and career pathways in aquatics, providing nationally recognized training and certification for lifeguards, instructors, and other aquatic professionals. Through its training programs, professional standards and support for aquatic facility operators, the Society strengthens the capacity of the aquatic sector to provide safe, skilled and productive employment.

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  Other

  The Lifesaving Society works through the Drowning Prevention Research Centre Canada to gather data and produce reports on drowning in Canada. The Society uses the information to analyze the problem in detail and to align its prevention activities with the research results. The Lifesaving Society represents Canada in the RLSS Commonwealth and is Canada’s Full Member of the ILS. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes the ILS as the world authority in the global effort to prevent drowning.