Drowning may seem like a tragedy confined to lakes, rivers, or pools, but new data shows Canadian homes are far from safe. According to the Lifesaving Society’s 2025 Ontario Drowning Report, bathtubs now rank as the third most common site for drownings in Ontario and across Canada, behind only lakes and rivers.
Each year, about 450 people drown in Canada. Between 2017 and 2021, 16 per cent of drownings in Ontario happened in bathtubs, compared to 14 per cent nationwide — a sharp increase from a decade ago when Ontario’s rate was closer to 12 per cent. Nationally, bathtub drownings rose from an average of 44 per year between 2010 and 2014 to 59 per year between 2015 and 2019.
Older adults are driving much of the increase. A 2020 study found that people over 75 were significantly more likely to drown in bathtubs or private pools. Lifesaving Society spokesperson Stephanie Bakalar said that adults 65 and older now account for half of all bathtub deaths. “People feel very comfortable in their own home,” she said. “It’s a bathtub, not a lake or a pool, so they underestimate the risks. But these are very preventable tragedies.”
Medical conditions and mobility challenges often play a role. Seniors recovering from hip or knee surgeries may slip and be unable to get up, while others face heightened risks if they experience seizures, strokes, or heart attacks in the tub. Bakalar noted that showers are often a safer option, but for those who prefer baths, safety measures such as grab bars and having someone nearby can be life-saving.
Children, too, are especially vulnerable. Infants under one year accounted for nearly three-quarters of 237 reported bathtub drowning incidents between 2011 and 2023, according to the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program. Devices like bath seats are not recommended, as they can flip or disconnect, trapping children. “The safest way to give your child a bath is to hold onto them,” Bakalar said.
The Lifesaving Society urges simple precautions: for older adults, be realistic about health limitations, install safety supports, and avoid bathing alone. For children, supervision must be constant — keeping them within arm’s reach at all times, and ensuring tubs are drained and toilets latched when not in use.
Even in familiar surroundings, experts say, water safety should never be taken for granted.