Growing concerns about summer safety on the North Shore
Posted July 4, 2025 7:12 am.
Last Updated July 4, 2025 7:21 am.
Summer in B.C. is serene and beautiful, but it can also be dangerous and sometimes deadly for both locals and tourists.
That’s prompting a public warning from one local fire department amid growing concerns that someone is going to get hurt at some popular tourist hot spots this summer.
“When we do get called there for someone who’s in the water in distress, it is a strain on resources because we do send a number of trucks, which takes trucks away from other areas on the North Shore,” District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services Chief Mike Danks told 1130 NewsRadio.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!He’s referring to Lynn Canyon Park, where people can sidestep the warning signs and attempt cliff jumping, which can have dire consequences.
“I think for a lot of people, they don’t expect the water to be so cold in the canyons, and the reaction you get when you jump into that water is that it makes you gasp. And if you get water down into your lungs, that’s going to take you down really quickly,” he said.
Danks, who was a member of North Shore Rescue for nearly three decades, worries about the role social media has in motivating people to take risks they wouldn’t normally.
“We get good weather, we get lots of people coming out, we get inexperienced people who see these great YouTube videos and different posts on all these different features that we have on the North Shore, and they want to experience that.
“For the people who are naive to the dangers, they think, ‘This is no problem. I can walk to this spot, and I can just jump into the water, and I’ll be fine just like in the post.’ But the reality is, there are inherent dangers going into the canyons. Don’t do it for ‘the ‘gram.'”
He also reminds that drugs and alcohol should be kept out of the mix as they impair judgement.
In addition to Lynn Canyon, Danks says some other popular areas that are on emergency teams’ watchlists include the Quarry Rock Trail, Capilano River, and the Grouse Grind.
“We respond to the Grind quite frequently, and that’s not for the locals, it’s for the visitors who are naive to the dangers of the Grind. It’s a very strenuous trail, it’s very steep, and once you get off the trail, it becomes very treacherous very quickly.”
Danks says they, along with other officials, try to educate people beforehand, but admits not everyone is open to hearing their advice.
“It is a fine balance because some people get very frustrated when they get approached and talked to about water safety or trail safety, but again, we much rather have those conversations on the front end to keep people safe than on the reactionary end after they’ve had an incident.”
Additional rangers are being brought this summer, according to the district, as part of a bigger strategy to keep people safe.
“To help visitors safely navigate and enjoy the park, we have Park Rangers on patrol. During the summertime, we have additional Rangers at the park providing information to visitors, guiding them to areas where they can safely enjoy the many features of the park and, when necessary, educating them on the dangers of cliff jumping,” said the District of North Vancouver in a statement to 1130 NewsRadio.
“While renowned for its natural beauty, Lynn Canyon can also be quite dangerous, and visitors need to use good judgement. Water levels and conditions can change very quickly; the water is very cold, and there are extremely strong currents, as well as underwater rock hazards. The cliffs are steep and slippery, and some areas are unstable.”
Metro Vancouver Regional District says it has trained staff to help visitors stay safe, and it works closely with local municipalities, police, fire, and North Shore Rescue.
