Vancouver’s beaches are among the most iconic and heavily used public spaces in our city every summer. For over a century trained lifeguards have helped keep our beaches safe and accessible.

Lifeguards prevent accidents, educate the public, act as beach and park ambassadors, locate and reunite lost children, track the changes to the physical environment and hazards, monitor dangerous conditions, respond to emergencies, and access and liaise with other appropriate agencies when needed.

But this summer there won’t be lifeguards at half of Vancouver’s beaches. This decision is a direct result of the 2026 zero percent property tax increase budget and removes a critical public safety service from some of the busiest public spaces the region.

While a zero percent property tax increase may sound appealing, the reality is that is has resulted in cuts to front-line services that help keep people safe.

Removing lifeguards from Vancouver beaches will slow emergency response times. It will also shift pressure onto other emergency responders who may be called in to handle incidents that trained lifeguards could have managed - or even prevented.

Public safety should not be treated as optional.

We are calling on Mayor Ken Sim and Vancouver City Council to:

- Work with the Park Board to reinstate lifeguards at Vancouver beaches

- Provide additional funding to ensure all Vancouver beaches are safely staffed when they
open for the 2026 season

- Ensure that public safety in all spaces remains a priority in future budget decisions.

Let’s make sure Vancouver’s beaches are safe for everyone this summer, and into the future.