As summer enters its hotter months, the BC Coroners Service (BCCS), Lifesaving Society, BC Emergency Health Services and BC AdventureSmart are reminding residents and visitors to take safety seriously around bodies of water.
According to BCCS, preliminary data in 2026 shows that there have been 40 accidental drowning deaths in British Columbia between May 1st and July 16th.
This number is higher than last year’s during the same period, which was 26.
“We have seen an unfortunate upwards trend this summer when it comes to accidental drowning deaths,” said Dr. Jatinder Baidwan, chief coroner at BCCS.
“It is our hope that people will take a serious look at the data we are sharing and make smart choices when planning any water-related activity in the coming months.”
BCCS’s Accidental Drowning Deaths in BC report (2015-2025) revealed that July and August usually see the highest number of drowning deaths throughout the year, with yearly averages of 13.9 and 12.4 respectively.
Last year, 36 deaths were reported between June and August, which accounted for 39% of the year’s total drowning deaths.
In 2025, 22 drowning deaths were associated with swimming, 19 were associated with bathing and 16 with unintentional falls into water. Between 2015 and 2024, alcohol and/or drugs were identified as a contributing factor in 40% of closed accidental drowning cases.
The report also revealed that 29% of drowning deaths occurred in lakes or ponds, 20% occurred in rivers or creeks, and 20% occurred in baths.
With many bodies of water on Vancouver Island frequented by residents for swimming, the report serves as a reminder to be safe and always follow safety precautions when swimming.
For more information on water safety, visit BC AdventureSmart’s website here.
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