Too many Quebecers lose their lives to drowning every year. A businesswoman takes on the task of preventing drowning in Quebec City.
Since fall 2021, entrepreneur Geneviève Marcon has decided to offer free swimming lessons to young people living in the central neighborhoods of Quebec City. It’s an investment worth over $50,000.
Ms Marcon is shocked by the drowning of a young boy in June 2021 at the Sainte-Foy outdoor base and now wishes to retract the statistics on incidents of this kind.
According to the Life Saving Society, 18 drownings have been recorded so far this year.
2022: 61 drownings
2020: 96 drownings
2019: 58 drowned
“It touched me, it disturbed me. I knew he was a little boy who couldn’t swim. I was wondering how a young person could drown on a school trip. So I came up with the idea of creating a $50,000 fund,” said Geneviève Marcon, co-president of GM development.
Almost 750 young people have benefited from Ms. Marcon’s initiative since its inception in 2021. 13 of them were able to complete a full national lifeguard course.
Parents also appreciate this initiative.
“It’s close for us. We try to encourage local initiatives.”
“It is important that children learn to swim. Then we are fortunate to have this initiative in the Saint-Roch district.