Vancouver council sends beach lifeguard funding fight back to park board

A push to restore lifeguard coverage at several Vancouver beaches has been stalled after city council voted to send the issue back to the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation instead of approving new funding.

The motion, introduced by Green Coun. Pete Fry, sought to reinstate lifeguards at beaches where coverage was cut last month after the park board reduced service at five of Vancouver’s 10 staffed beaches due to budget pressures.

Fry’s proposal asked city staff to allocate up to $600,000 from the city budget to support the park board and restore staffing.

But ABC councillors, who hold a majority on council, argued the issue falls under the park board’s authority and should be dealt with there instead.

Council vote sparks frustration

The decision drew criticism from councillors and members of the public who said referring the motion back to the park board avoided the real issue.

Vote Vancouver Coun. Rebecca Bligh said the move did little to create a meaningful process and instead sent the message that the matter was someone else’s problem.

Fry also rejected the logic of the referral, arguing that a council decision involving funding could not meaningfully be sent back to the very board that lacks the money to act on its own.

Dozens of speakers appeared in support of the motion, urging council to provide the funding and warning that public safety could be compromised if beach lifeguard coverage is not restored.

Supporters warn of growing risk

Among those speaking in favour of the motion were current and former lifeguards, labour representatives and public safety advocates.

They argued that Vancouver’s beaches can present serious risks, especially for tourists, inexperienced swimmers and people unfamiliar with local water conditions.

One speaker warned that without trained lifeguards present, it is only a matter of time before a preventable death occurs.

Others stressed that lifeguards are not an optional amenity, but a core public safety service that helps reduce response times and protect beachgoers in emergencies.

ABC says park board must take responsibility

ABC Coun. Mike Klassen said he recognized the concerns raised by speakers, but maintained that responsibility rests with the park board.

He argued that if the board truly considered lifeguard services a priority, it should have funded them during its own emergency discussions on the issue.

Klassen, along with fellow ABC Coun. Brian Montague, moved to refer the motion back to the park board.

Their position was that the current situation stems from board-level budgeting decisions, not from city council withholding money.

Budget tensions remain at the centre

The funding debate comes amid wider concerns over the park board’s financial situation.

Last month, park board Commissioner Tom Digby said inflationary pressures had forced the elimination of roughly $11 million in operating costs, leading to dozens of layoffs and service reductions.

The board has linked some of its budget challenges to Mayor Ken Sim’s pledge to keep the 2026 property tax increase at zero per cent.

Klassen pushed back on that explanation, saying no money had been taken from the board and arguing the problem was not the tax decision itself, but how the park board had chosen to allocate its resources.

For now, the question of whether lifeguard coverage will be restored remains unresolved, with the issue returning to the park board as summer approaches.