City of Toronto encouraging qualified residents to apply to be lifeguards and swim instructors

As part of efforts to ensure staffing levels are met for all planned summer recreation programs, the City of Toronto is encouraging qualified residents to apply for lifeguard, swim instructor, wading pool and aquatic program assistant positions.

The City continues to recruit and hire certified lifeguards and swim instructors, and encourages residents to take its many aquatic leadership courses to become certified.  Youth as young as 14 can apply to become wading pool attendants and aquatic program assistants, and are encouraged to become certified.

Once again, the City expects to employ approximately 2,200 part-time recreation aquatic staff to support safe supervision of its swimming pools and aquatic programs, wading pools and beach waterfront operations. This includes newly hired staff, as well as returning staff.

Jurisdictions across North America are facing lifeguard shortages because lifeguard certification was paused while the world responded to COVID-19. In anticipation of this shortage, the City has been recruiting lifeguards – new applicants and returning staff – since January.

In addition, to support the summer 2022 outdoor pool and supervised beach programs, the City made facilities available this spring specifically for lifeguard and swim instructor certification training to enhance recruitment efforts. These leadership development programs are important opportunities to gain the required knowledge, skills, and certification and are available in weekend and week-long crash courses throughout June and July. Additional courses will be planned for the remainder of the year. More information on aquatic leadership certification courses is available on the City’s Aquatic Leadership webpage.

More information about available positions and upcoming information sessions is available on the City’s Recreation Jobs webpage. More information on certification or re-certification is available on the Lifesaving Society’s website .

The following 10 outdoor pools are expected to open for evenings and weekends as of Saturday, June 18. Check each location for hours of operation on the City’s Swim & Water Play webpage.

• Alex Duff Memorial Pool – 779 Crawford St.
• Heron Park Community Centre – 292 Manse Rd.
• Grandravine Community Recreation Centre – 23 Grandravine Dr.
• McGregor Park Community Centre – 2231 Lawrence Ave. E.
• Parkway Forest Community Centre – 59 Forest Manor Rd.
• Pine Point Outdoor Pool – 15 Grierson Rd.
• Sunnyside Gus Ryder Outdoor Pool – 1755 Lake Shore Blvd. W.
• West Mall Outdoor Pool – 370 The West Mall
• Monarch Park Outdoor Pool – 115 Felstead Ave.
• Kiwanis Outdoor Pool – 375 Cedervale Ave.