A three-year-old boy has died after being found unconscious in a backyard pool in Blainville, about 40 kilometres north of Montreal.
Blainville police Lieutenant Sara Tousignant said that emergency services found the boy at around 3 p.m. on Saturday.
He was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
It was the parents who contacted authorities when they found the boy in the pool after looking for him.
Tousignant said an investigation is ongoing to determine the events that led to the tragedy.
First drowning death
Lifesaving Society executive director Raynald Hawkins said that it was the first toddler drowning in 2026. Now, he added, is the time for anyone with a backyard pool to ensure that it is secure.
“When you have a backyard pool, you have to make sure you can control the accessibility,” said Hawkins. “We close the front door because we don’t want to see toddlers go play in the street or go across the street without the supervision of the adults. This is the same reality when you have a backyard pool, for sure.”
In addition to securing backyard pools and ensuring adult supervision at all times, parents should remember to remove all toys or floatation devices from the pool when it’s not being used.
“You have to take this responsibility to supervise the kid all the time,” he said.
Hawkins has worked for the non-profit for four decades and said that the average number of drownings has dropped in Quebec from around 200, 40 years ago, to about 60 per year now.
“This is a reality to repeat our key messages, and maybe we’re going to change a behaviour, or maybe we’re going to save life on the next weekend because parents will understand the messages,” he said.
The Livesaving Society provides the following checklist for all those who have backyard pools:
- Is the gate secured?
- Is the gate self-closing?
- If it’s an above-ground pool, is the ladder removable?
- Is the fencing secure?
- Is the fencing four-sided?
- Is the fence a minimum of five feet?
- Is the fencing difficult to climb?
- Is there a sign that reads “Do not enter without permission”?
- Is there a parent or guardian present at all times?
