As Southern Ontario sizzles under record-breaking heat and humidex levels soaring past 45°C, the City of Toronto has come under fire for intermittently closing outdoor pools—ironically, one of the very methods it has promoted to help residents cool down.

Now, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is weighing in.

Over the weekend, the City of Toronto confirmed that some outdoor pools would experience intermittent closures due to provincial health and safety protocols intended to protect lifeguards during extreme heat. According to the city, lifeguards are required to take breaks to avoid heat exhaustion, which may force temporary closures throughout the day.

“Given provincial requirements related to heat and humidex (45+) protocols, some outdoor pools will have intermittent closures today to ensure staff health and safety,” said Julia Oosterman, the city’s chief communications officer. She noted that lifeguards remain on-site and pools are reopened as soon as conditions allow.

Still, the decision has sparked criticism—especially with the city urging residents to use outdoor pools as a way to beat the heat.

Doug Ford Responds: "They Should Have the Pools Open"

Speaking to Newstalk 1010 on Monday, Premier Doug Ford questioned the city’s rationale, calling it a “poor excuse.”

“They should have the pools open, and we appreciate the lifeguards,” Ford said. “I’m not blaming the mayor—because I really like the mayor—but there was no Ministry of Labour inspector that called up and said, ‘shut down the pools.’”

Ford went on to suggest that the labour protocols cited by the city were intended for other high-exertion outdoor jobs, such as asphalt paving, and not necessarily for lifeguards who have access to water.

Staffing Questions Remain

While provincial regulations require a minimum number of lifeguards per number of swimmers, it’s unclear whether the city has enough lifeguards on duty to allow for staggered breaks during periods of extreme heat—something that could help keep pools open without compromising safety.

Ford acknowledged he didn’t have those staffing details but made clear that the province has given Toronto “more financial support than ever in its history,” pointing to the recent funding agreement struck between Queen’s Park and City Hall.

“I just let the city run the way it runs,” Ford said. “But I plan to reach out to Mayor Chow to talk about this.”

What You Should Know

For residents wondering whether their local outdoor pool is open, the city advises checking its website for real-time updates on intermittent closures and extended evening hours during the heatwave.

As temperatures remain dangerously high across Ontario this week, the debate around pool closures underscores the delicate balance between public access and staff safety—and just how important it is to keep cool when the city heats up.