Areas outside Montreal still having trouble finding lifeguards

For the second summer in a row, Quebec is dealing with a lifeguard shortage.

It's mostly affecting regions outside large cities like Montreal, according to Raynald Hawkins, executive director of the Lifesaving Society's Quebec branch.

"The issues we have are more the smaller employers, ones that need to hire one or two lifeguards. Particularly hotels, camping areas, campgrounds have some difficulty, or small towns too," Hawkins said.

One of the places affected is Saint-Hyacinthe.

The city southeast of Montreal has been forced to close one of its local community pools on weekends, because it doesn't have enough staff.

The Saint-Joseph pool will be open only on weekdays until July 19. After that, Notre-Dame pool will be closed on weekends.

Hawkins partly blames the lack of lifeguards on the province's labour shortage. In his 30 years with the Lifesaving Society, he says fewer people sign up to be lifeguards when there are plenty of higher-paying jobs available elsewhere.

Lifeguard jobs start at around minimum wage, but many are paid $15 to $16 an hour, he said.

"When the economy is very good like this, they prefer maybe a higher salary and maybe the Monday to Friday versus to work on the evening and the weekend," he said.

While there are thousands of trained lifeguards in the province, Hawkins says that as lifeguards graduate from high school, some may want a job that gives them experience working in their field.

A pilot project this fall is expected to help address future shortages by reaching out to a new age group: Baby Boomers.

As a growing number of Canadians reach retirement age, the Lifesaving Society is hoping that some will see the allure of a part-time job that keeps them active and outdoors.

Hawkins said the challenge tests and expectations will remain the same for the older age group.

But he said the advantage is that retired Baby Boomers might be more willing to work daytime shifts in the spring and summer, that would normally conflict with younger employees schedules.