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Exchange: Aquatics

PRO EX

October 7, 2026

8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Breakout Sessions

Strengthening Your Aquatic Programming: 

Building Capacity, Quality, and Leadership

Jennifer Fruscella

Co-Area Chair

Lifesaving Society

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Jennifer Fruscella works for the Town of Oakville and brings more than 30 years of experience in the aquatics sector. She currently serves as a Co‑Area Chair with the Lifesaving Society in Oakville and is a member of the Society’s Management Training Council. Jennifer is passionate about aquatics and is dedicated to strengthening programming through capacity building, quality improvement, and leadership development.


Strong aquatic programming does not happen by chance—it is intentionally built through creative choices, effective staffing, thoughtful scheduling and a commitment to maintaining standards. Through practical discussion, real-world examples and lived expertise, our speakers will also help you define what “success” looks like in aquatics through the lens of lifesaving and lifeguarding opportunities, leadership development, staff recruitment and retention, participation, program scheduling and meaningful on-deck supervision. Participants will examine how these components work together to strengthen and expand learn-to-swim and drop-in programs while maintaining quality and consistency. This session is ideal for aquatic supervisors, program coordinators and municipal leaders committed to building high-quality aquatic programs that effectively serve their communities. You’ll leave with strategies to enhance programming while safeguarding standards and preventing operational challenges before they arise.
Lessons Learned: 

Strengthening Aquatic Safety Through Incident Review and Prevention

Michael Shane

Safety Management Director

Lifesaving Society


Gary Sanger

Past VP of Aquatic Safety Management

Lifesaving Society

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Michael Shane is the Safety Management Director for the Lifesaving Society. He has been employed by the Society for over 28 years and prior to that he worked in as the Aquatics Co-ordinator in Mississauga and Brampton. He is Past President of Association of Aquatic Personnel of Ontario. He is a member of the Canadian Blue Flag Jury.


He works with dedicated volunteers to enhance safety in aquatic facilities. He has spoken at conferences provincially, nationally and internationally. In addition he has been called upon to provide expert witness testimony in civil cases and Public Inquests across Canada. He has performed over three hundred safety audits of aquatic facilities throughout Canada.


Gary Sanger is now retired from the City of Toronto after 30 years as the Supervisor of Aquatics in Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation Division. He is the past  Vice-President of Aquatic Safety Management Services with the Lifesaving Society and Past President of the Aquatic Branch of Parks and Recreation Ontario. He has travelled extensively across Canada delivering sessions on the topic of aquatic risk management and the real-life aftermath of dealing with catastrophic incidents.


Aquatic incidents, while rare, offer powerful opportunities for learning and process improvement. This session will explore real aquatic incidents and how they have informed the evolution of standards, training, and operational best practices. Additionally, participants will gain insight into how the Society’s safety standards are developed, evaluated and updated to reflect emerging risks, research and operational realities, building a culture of continuous improvement in aquatic operations. Grounded in the Lifesaving Society’s mission to prevent drowning and water-related injury, this session will provide practical takeaways for aquatic leaders, supervisors, managers, directors and operators committed to organizational accountability and advancing safety in their facilities and communities.
Introduction to Masters Swimming

Nancy Black

Masters Swimming Ambassador

Swim Ontario

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This presentation offers an accessible and practical introduction to Masters Swimming for aquatics clubs and facilities looking to grow their adult membership base. Designed for program coordinators, coaches, and facility managers, it explores what Masters Swimming is, who it's for, and how organizations can successfully welcome new participants into the sport — including the ever-growing population of adult onset swimmers: adults who may have little to no competitive swimming background but are discovering the water for the first time as a fitness, social, or competitive outlet. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies for creating inclusive, welcoming environments that meet adult learners where they are, remove common barriers to entry, and help new swimmers find their place within the Masters community — whether their goal is fitness, camaraderie, or the podium.
We are a Team: 

Developing a relationship with yourh local emergency services

Nathan Hughes

Training Specialist

Region of Waterloo, Paramedic Services

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Nathan is a Training Specialist with Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services and a Professor at Conestoga College, focused on advancing safety, education, and system readiness across paramedic and emergency services.


With seven years of frontline experience as a Primary Care Paramedic, he brings real-world insight into high-risk, dynamic environments. He began his career in aquatics as a Lifeguard/Instructor and Aquatic Supervisor, building a strong foundation in emergency response and leadership.


Nathan now works with Campus Response Teams and aquatic facilities to better prepare first aiders and first responders for what to expect when 9-1-1 is activated—focusing on communication, scene readiness, and effective transfer of care upon the arrival of emergency services.


He was recently nominated for the Black Excellence Gala Education and Mentorship Award for his leadership in implementing the External Violence Against Paramedics (EVAP) initiative, advancing innovative training and safety practices for frontline paramedics.


As paramedic services across Ontario transition to the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS), aquatic leaders must rethink how their teams activate and support emergency response. This session challenges current practices and highlights how changes to 9-1-1 call-taking, prioritization, and response may impact aquatic environments. Designed for supervisors, managers, and facility leaders, this keynote provides practical strategies to better prepare lifeguards and aquatic staff for emergencies—focusing on what information must be communicated, how to prepare the scene, and how to deliver clear, effective transfer of care when paramedics arrive.
Beyond Drowning Detection:

How aquatics intelligence platforms are connecting pools, beaches, harbours, and the agencies that manage them

Justin Dyer

Operations Manager

H2oVision

Richard Webster

Senior Pool Technician

H2oVision

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This session explores how AI and computer vision are evolving from single-purpose drowning detection into broader aquatic intelligence platforms — connected systems that can support safety, environmental monitoring, enforcement, and multi-agency coordination across pools, beaches, harbours, and waterfronts. Drawing on emerging deployments in Ontario, including a federally reviewed pilot in Toronto Harbour and a commercial deployment at Canada's largest waterpark, the session will examine how a single camera and edge-processing layer can simultaneously serve aquatic operators, recreation managers, municipal beach teams, marine units, and port authorities through role-based access to a shared data layer — a model conceptually similar to how technology has changed the way transportation agencies share traffic intelligence. Practical use cases discussed will include drowning-risk detection and behavioural analytics in indoor and outdoor pools, motorized watercraft exclusion zone (MWEZ) monitoring at municipal beaches, personal watercraft (PWC) speed detection in harbour and waterfront environments, and year-round environmental monitoring for water clarity, debris, ice, and weather-related risk. The session will address what operators and municipal leaders need to know about privacy-first deployment, federal ethics review, governance, procurement readiness, and integration into existing aquatic operations and emergency response workflows. Participants will leave with a practical framework for evaluating, piloting, and responsibly adopting AI in their own facilities.
Enhancing Emergency Readiness Through Aquatics and Fire Department Collaboration

Emily Hunter

Aquatics and Fitness Supervisor

City of Brantford

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I am an Aquatics and Fitness Supervisor at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre for the City of Brantford, a role I have proudly held for the past eight years.  My career in aquatics began at the age of 16 as a lifeguard and swim instructor, and that early experience sparked a passion that has continued to grow throughout my career.


Outside of work, I enjoy staying active and spending time outdoors with my dog.  I have been participating in triathlons for the past six years which reflects my ongoing commitment to health, fitness and personal challenge"


This session will explore how our aquatics team partnered with the local fire department to strengthen emergency response within our facility. We introduced on-site oxygen for emergency use and implemented joint training scenarios focused on vital signs absent incidents allowing lifeguards to practice effective in water response and seamless transfer of care when fire services arrives on scene. This presentation will outline how we established this collaboration, the key steps involved and the measurable benefits we've seen in staff confidence, communication and overall readiness. It will also highlight our next phase of partnership including coordinated spill response planning with the fire department's hazmat team and strengthening our chlorine gas emergency response plan. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to build similar partnerships and enhance emergency preparedness in their own facilities.
"I'm a Parent of Your Participants - Listen to Me"

Lisa Brandie

Lifesaving Society

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Lisa Brandie is the Manager of Aquatic Programs and Leadership at the City of London. She has worked at a water park, waterfront at a summer camp as well as the Boys and Girls Club.  Lisa is a Swim, Lifesaving and First Aid Instructor trainer. She has volunteered with the Lifesaving Society on the Public Education Committee and is currently the chair of the Swim Committee on the Training Programs council.


“The change rooms are cold.” “Where do the strollers go?” “Why is registering three kids in different programs so complicated?” “How come my child isn’t passing this course?” For many families, participating in recreation programs can feel less like a positive community experience and more like a logistical headache. In this engaging and practical session, the Lifesaving Society invites you to step into the shoes of parents and participants to better understand the complexities they face. Together, we will examine the recreation journey—from registration and arrival to participation and departure—through lived experiences across the province. Our experts will highlight common barriers within both aquatic and other recreation programs as well as identify practical strategies to make programs more accessible and coordinated. You’ll be challenged to think beyond delivering excellent programming and consider the full experience. This session is ideal for recreation leaders, program administrators or coordinators and aquatic management committed to creating exceptional, inclusive and positive recreation experiences that strengthen retention and build community trust.
Who Supervises the Supervisor? 

Strengthening Leadership Performance During Aquatic Emergencies

Eddie Beaucage

Instructor / Trainer

Pointe-Claire Aquatic Department

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With over 40 years of dedicated service in aquatic safety, Eddie Beaucage is a nationally respected expert in water rescue, lifeguard training, and emergency response. A seasoned lifeguard trainer and competitive lifeguard, Eddie has mentored thousands of lifeguards and first responders across a wide range of aquatic environments, from public beaches to complex waterparks.


A dynamic speaker and educator, Eddie is known for engaging presentations and hands-on training sessions that combine real-world experience with evidence-based safety practices. Throughout a distinguished career, Eddie has collaborated with municipalities, educational institutions, and public safety agencies to raise the standard of aquatic risk management and emergency preparedness.


As a first responder and advocate for drowning prevention, Eddie continues to lead initiatives that prioritize public safety, promote professional excellence, and inspire the next generation of aquatic professionals."


Aquatic leaders are highly skilled at developing and delivering in-service training for lifeguards—but far fewer opportunities exist for supervisors to train their own performance during critical incidents. In high-stress emergencies, supervisors are expected to coordinate teams, manage evolving risk, communicate with multiple stakeholders, and maintain oversight of care—all while not directly performing hands-on rescues. These leadership skills are rarely practiced in a structured, intentional way. This session addresses that gap. Participants will explore practical, field-tested strategies to design and implement in-service training that targets supervisory performance during emergencies, not just frontline rescue skills. Through interactive activities, scenario design, and guided discussion, attendees will gain tools to improve decision-making, communication, and command presence under pressure.

More breakout sessions will be added soon.

Lifesaving Society's Aquatic Manager Course

Aquatic Manager is the Lifesaving Society’s professional designation for coordinators, managers and directors who, regardless of their aquatic background, are responsible for oversight of aquatic programs and services. This course equips participants with the knowledge, principles and skills required to confidently direct excellent program delivery, respond effectively to customer service inquiries, and comply with health and safety standards in the aquatic environment.

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Aquatic Manager Course at PRO EX Exchange

PRO EX Exchange attendees have an exciting opportunity to take this course. With no prerequisites, it’s open to anyone who supervises or oversees an aquatic facility and wants to strengthen their management skills while learning from industry experts.

Course Details

  • 16-hours of comprehensive learning, including:

    • Two 4-hour online Zoom sessions: September 30 & October 14 (9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)

    • One in-person session during PRO EX Exchange on October 7, 2026

  • Pricing: $375+HST (All course materials included)

  • Registration: Opens May 28, 2026 - 12 noon.

     

Please note: PRO Member pricing does not apply for this course.

Location

Lionhead Golf Club & Conference Centre

8525 Mississauga Road

Brampton, ON

L6Y 0C1

Accommodations

Delegates are encouraged to select accomodations that meet their individual travel requirements. While local accomodations close to the venue​ are available, there are no discount codes available. 

Courtyard by Marriott (6.6 km)

7015 Century Avenue, Mississauga 

COURTYARDMISSISSAUGA.COM

905-567-5566

Cambridge Suites (6.5 km)

7005 Century Avenue, Mississauga

CAMBRIDGESUITESMISSISSAUGA.COM

905-567-2577

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1 Concorde Gate, Suite 302 
Toronto, ON M3C 3N6

Parks and Recreation Ontario

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Not-for-Profit Corporation

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