Safe Behaviours

Find out about the location before leaving, including water access, depth, water quality, currents, dams, waterfalls or submerged obstacles, cellular coverage and nearby emergency services.

Check posted signs and follow all instructions. Signs may warn of hazards that are difficult to identify.

Have an emergency plan by identifying exit points, places where shelter is available and ways to get help if needed.

When heading out alone, tell a trusted person your destination, planned route and expected return time.

Check the weather forecast before leaving and monitor changing conditions throughout the activity.

Consider the conditions from previous days as well. Heavy rain, snowmelt and storms can raise water levels, strengthen currents and alter shorelines or trails.

Choose an activity that matches the abilities of the group, and select a location and route suitable for the least experienced person.

Avoid overestimating physical abilities and aquatic skills. Conditions in natural environments can be much more challenging than those in a swimming pool.

Depending on the activity, appropriate equipment may include a personal flotation device (PFD), non-slip footwear, a helmet for whitewater activities, a whistle, a phone or waterproof communication device, a first aid kit, drinking water and sun protection.

Learning to swim is possible at any age and helps develop essential skills for being safer in and around the water.

Introductory and beginner activities provide an opportunity to become familiar with a new activity before practising it independently.

Several organizations offer training to help develop the basic techniques and skills needed to participate more safely in aquatic and boating activities:

  Canot Kayak Québec (CKQ): canoeing, sea kayaking, rabaska and recreational kayaking (with EVQ)
  Eau Vive Québec (EVQ): stand-up paddleboarding, recreational kayaking (with CKQ), whitewater canoeing and kayaking, surfing and rafting
  Fédération québécoise de kite: kiteboarding and winging
  Québec Subaquatique: scuba diving (qualification certificate required) and freediving
  Spéléo Québec: canyoning
  Voile Québec: windsurfing, dinghy sailing and cruising

First aid training also helps develop the knowledge and skills needed to respond in an emergency. Choosing a course suited to the activity and level of experience is recommended.

Wear a properly fitted PFD when participating in boating and water activities.

When on rivers, in cold water or near currents, wearing a PFD is strongly recommended, even for strong swimmers.

A PFD increases the chances of staying afloat in the event of an unexpected fall into the water, injury or medical emergency.

Children should be supervised at all times without distractions. Young children and non-swimmers should always remain within arm’s reach of a responsible person.

Avoid alcohol and other substances that can impair judgment, reaction time and the ability to recognize hazards.

Choose group activities whenever possible and avoid going alone in isolated areas.

Keep a safe distance from dams, rapids, waterfalls, spillways and other areas where currents may be strong.

Before diving, make sure the water is deep enough and the area is free of underwater obstacles. When in doubt, do not dive.

In an emergency, contact emergency services by calling 9-1-1 as soon as possible.

If someone is in distress in the water, provide assistance from a safe location whenever possible: talk, reach or throw a flotation device. Entering the water to perform a rescue can put a second person at risk and should be avoided without proper training.