Drownings off beaches along the Great Lakes cost the economies of Canada and the United States more than $130 million each year, a team of UWindsor researchers has found.

Geographer Chris Houser, dean of the Faculty of Science, and economics professors Marcelo Arbex and Christian Trudeau have collaborated on a study published recently in the journal Ocean and Coastal Management. Their research estimates the long-term economic impact of drownings due to waves and currents. The calculation is in addition to the cost of emergency services and hospitalizations related to drownings.

The study, which uses an actuarial calculation referred to as the Value of a Statistical Life Year expressed in Canadian dollars, can help policy-makers on both sides of the border make decisions on whether to hire more lifeguards or invest in public education about beach safety, Dr. Houser said.

“Typically, these interventions require a cost-benefit analysis based on the economic impact of surf-related drownings,” he said. “Hopefully our study will be eye-opening for them and make the decision easier.”

There are, on average, about 50 drowning deaths each year associated with near-shore waves and currents in the Great Lakes. Last year, as families headed to the beach to combat pandemic isolation, 74 people died in surf-related drownings. Many of the fatalities were adolescents and children who otherwise would have had long, productive lives ahead of them.

The researchers estimate the total economic burden of surf-related drowning fatalities over the past 10 years to be in excess of $1.3 billion.

Houser explained the estimate doesn’t consider the full human toll of surf-related drownings.

“It’s important to note that this estimate of economic impact does not consider the emotional impact associated with drowning events.”

Most surf-related drownings occur on beaches without lifeguards, or on supervised beaches at times when lifeguards aren’t on duty.

“Lifeguards are the most effective strategy for reducing drownings directly through rescues and indirectly through interventions on unsafe behaviour,” Houser said.

The study supports the calls for beach safety education programs and additional lifeguards made by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a non-profit group that maintains the public database used in the study.

Houser said there seems to be little public interest in surf-related drownings compared to other natural hazards or public health concerns. He said he hopes this study will help change that.

“We are trying to show there is value in increased safety, and more specifically, value in reducing the risk of death due to drowning on beaches throughout the Great Lakes region.”

—Sarah Sacheli

Women, Two Spirit, and gender-diverse people are at the forefront of Canada’s pandemic response, and will need to be centred in economic recovery efforts going forward, says Maya Roy.

Chief executive officer of YWCA Canada, she will discuss how to make the economy work for prosperity and enhancing community well-being for all in a free public presentation entitled “Equitable Futures, Post Pandemic” on Thursday, Sept. 2.

Roy is a seasoned policy maker and non-profit leader with over 20 years of experience in a range of sectors including child care, employment and workforce development, health care, immigration and settlement, and the women’s sector. Her lecture will highlight policy recommendations of the Feminist Economic Recovery Plan for Canada and is part of the Envision community speaker series, which offers thought-provoking discussion about what’s next in the post-COVID future.

The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. on the Microsoft Teams teleconferencing platform. A question-and-answer period will follow Roy’s formal presentation. Register to attend.

An overwhelming response to a call for Black alumni to join roundtable discussion of their experiences has led organizers to add sessions Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 1 and 2.

The meetings are an initial measure by the University to engage with its Black alumni to establish and rebuild relationships.

“We have seen a significant increase in interest,“ says Jeremiah Bowers-Vandusen, a current student and anti-Black racism projects assistant in the Office of the Vice-President Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. “This reconciliation process will not be easy or quick. Still, it is necessary in order to inform the University's work in creating a safer, more inclusive, and conducive future for Black students, staff, and faculty.”

The consultation sessions will be conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams and begin both days at 4 p.m. Participants are requested to register by visiting uwindsor.ca/antiblackracism/blackalumni.

An enhanced version of a program from the Entrepreneurship, Practice, and Innovation Centre (EPICentre) offers participants the opportunity to earn digital badges as they achieve milestones.

The EPIC Discovery Program helps current students and recent graduates from any faculty develop and validate early-stage business ideas. It is the EPICentre’s flagship program specifically geared towards entrepreneurs at the ideation stage through one-on-one mentorship.

Members develop skills in areas such as problem identification, customer discovery, value proposition, advanced market research, competitive analysis, and more.

“We’re proud to be at the forefront of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Canada to implement digital badges into our entrepreneurship programs,” said Wen Teoh, EPICentre director “With these badges, participants can track their progress and share their skills-based digital credentials through portable learning records and social media platforms.”

Individuals accepted into the EPIC Discovery Program will have the added benefit of receiving one-on-one mentorship, access to members-only resources and virtual networking spaces as well as to the collaborative workspace.

“We’ve been working hard to reframe the EPIC Discovery Program to better suit early-stage startups in their entrepreneurial journey,” said program lead Sydney Thompson. “With this new framework, we’re confident that participants will receive the tools needed to validate their market and move forward with a successful venture.”

For more information on the EPIC Discovery Program, visit the EPICentre website.

Healthy eating is all about moderation and balance, advises Human Resources in a message sent Monday to UWindsor faculty and staff.

It offers simple but effective ways to improve eating habits:

• Nourish your body throughout the day and avoid skipping meals.
• Eat slowly and without the distractions of TV, computers, or smart phones.
• Rather than worry about good versus bad foods, remember that moderation is the key.
• Use caffeine in moderation, particularly if you are prone to anxiety or sleep problems.
• Become more conscious of why you eat when you are not hungry.

Sometimes we use food to cope with feelings of boredom, unhappiness, loneliness, or social pressure. Read the entire Wellness Tip of the Week.