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The City of Surrey has asked staff to look at implementing free swimming lessons for children aged three to 12 by July 1, with the city’s mayor arguing costs shouldn’t be a barrier in getting kids to swim.<\/p>\n
City council unanimously passed a motion brought forward by Mayor Brenda Locke on Monday that seeks to make the first three levels of swim lessons free for kids.<\/p>\n
It comes amid high demand for lessons in the city, with parents telling CBC News booking a city-run lesson can be onerous and require multiple devices.<\/p>\n
Locke said it was important to start the program as soon as possible, with the intention to have the free lessons running by summer at the city’s 11 indoor and outdoor pools \u2014 all of which will be open by July 1.<\/p>\n
“Money should not be a barrier for them to learn to swim. It’s so important,” she told CBC News.<\/p>\n
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Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said money shouldn’t be a barrier in getting kids to learn to swim. (Ben Nelms\/CBC)<\/p>\n
Locke acknowledged longstanding concerns<\/a> over booking swimming lessons in Surrey, saying the city was building out its lifeguard capacity<\/a> after a shortage induced by the pandemic, as well as constructing a new pool at the Newton Community Centre.<\/p>\n “We always have access to pools in the City of Surrey. We do our best to do that, and we will continue to build more,” she said.<\/p>\n Locke’s motion asks staff to look at the details of implementing free swim lessons for kids \u2014 including the impact on waitlists, instructor capacity and how much it would cost.<\/p>\n WATCH | Free swim lessons in Surrey could worsen demand: How free swim lessons in Surrey could add even more demand<\/p>\n Free swim lessons for kids in Surrey could soon become a reality. The decision was made at a city council meeting earlier this week, but as the CBC\u2019s Sohrab Sandhu reports, there are some concerns from parents as Surrey is already seeing high demand for lessons.Parents weigh in<\/p>\n The reaction to Locke’s motion was mixed among Surrey parents that spoke to CBC News.<\/p>\n Sukhi Grewal said that it was a great use of taxpayer money, saying he’s had to use two laptops in the past to book swimming lessons due to high demand in Surrey, B.C.’s second-largest city by population.<\/p>\n “It’s almost as difficult as getting FIFA tickets or Taylor Swift tickets. It’s not an easy process,” he said.<\/p>\n Another parent, Jonathan Hu, said that the city’s use of randomized queues for online swim lessons booking often meant he would lose out on his preferred times for his kids.<\/p>\n “It’s already affordable in my opinion, and making it free \u2014 it’s just making more people trying to … get to the systems and harder to even get a spot,” he said.<\/p>\n Locke’s motion, however, was praised by the director of programs and services at the Lifesaving Society B.C. and Yukon.<\/p>\n Kimiko Hirakida said that it was great that the city was aiming to get rid of a barrier that prevents people from accessing swim lessons.<\/p>\n In response to the high demand for swim lessons \u2014 which she likened to The Hunger Games \u2014 Hirakida said she’s advocating for the City of Surrey to join up with the school board and make beginner swim lessons part of school curricula.<\/p>\n “If the City of Surrey was to work out with the Surrey School Board, ‘Hey, let’s make these beginner lessons part of Grade 3 or Grade 2 or Grade 4,’ and having a regular swim program \u2014 this would also alleviate the pressures that … I see online,” she said.<\/p>\n WATCH | Vancouver mayor proposes similar motion: Vancouver mayor proposing free swim lessons for beginners<\/p>\n A new motion from Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim would implement free swim lessons for beginners. Sim calls the matter a core public safety policy. But as Troy Charles reports, the chair of the Vancouver Park Board isn’t convinced it’s a feasible plan.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the city said it offered over 8,400 swim lessons last year, and employed 487 lifeguards and swim instructors on a full-time and part-time basis.<\/p>\n They say a contractor who manages the city’s eight outdoor pools reported 7,500 registrations in outdoor swim lessons, and employed 140 lifeguards, in addition to the city’s own staffing.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1780027090_180_default.jpg\")
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