Statistics show that Québec holds the highest rate of residential pool drownings in the country. All too often, the victims of these drownings are young children. Each tragic death that could have been prevented challenges us individually and collectively, along with the Quebec government, to instill change.

 

With this in mind, Laurent Lessard, Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs announced last Wednesday that new legislation would be introduced to govern residential pool safety, which officially came into effect on Thursday, July 22^nd on all new installations of backyard pools.

 

The regulations cover in ground as well as above ground pools, as well as inflatable pools, and cover everything from fences, terraces, and all ladder installations that grant access to a pool. The regulation stipulates that all residential swimming pools must be equipped with a protective fence of at least 1.2 meters in height (all sides) and a door fitted with a safety device for closing and locking automatically. Permit applications may be made directly to the various boroughs under the new law, and once installation of a new pool is complete, an inspector from the City will be made available to ensure that any and all new backyard pools are built in compliance with these new rules.

 

The new regulations aim to reduce the risk of drowning incidents in children by controlling access to such pools. It should be emphasized that these new standards apply only to future facilities. Pools installed before new regulations came into effect and those acquired before July 22, 2010, but settled before October 31, 2010, are not covered by the new laws.