Four Vancouver beaches will no longer have lifeguards on duty after a budget decision by the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation.

Those beaches include Third Beach, Spanish Banks, Sunset Beach, and Trout Lake.

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The park board says that the decision prioritizes lifeguards for more popular swimming areas and outdoor pools.

It adds that the cuts are due to tighter budget constraints.

Philip Skinder, a longtime Vancouver swimming and lifeguard coach, says that he is disappointed with the park board’s decision.

He says that swimming in the open ocean has its dangers, but it’s even more dangerous without supervision.

“The best drowning prevention tool is knowing how to swim. Second best is having a lifeguard at a beach who is there to spot problems before they happen,” Skinder told CityNews.

“You can’t put a price on a human life.”

One Vancouverite says that the decision is concerning.

“These waves can be really dangerous. In fact, we have known over the years that people have drowned here. So that doesn’t bring any comfort to anybody,” she told CityNews.

Tom Digby, chair of the park board, says that 95 per cent of water incidents last year occurred at beaches that will continue to have lifeguards during the summer season, starting Victoria Day.

Digby also notes that most beaches along the Salish Sea don’t have lifeguards.

“There are lifeguards in Nanaimo, but none of the other major beaches have lifeguards on them. And swimming in the ocean, you sometimes take that at your own risk,” he told CityNews.

He adds that the park board had $11 million from its budget cut.

“This may be just a place where it’s got to be deprioritized.”

Digby says that the park board will take another look at the decision to make sure that proper risk assessments have been done.