Summary of New Requirements for Public Pools and Spas
The following is a brief summary of the new requirements under Regulation 565 Public Pools that took effect on July 1, 2018.
Notification Requirement
Operators of Class A and B pools, and spa facilities are required to notify the local Medical Officer of Health (MOH) of their operation 14 days prior to (re)opening.
Posting of Inspection Results
All operators must post the results of inspections, as requested by the Public Health Inspector (PHI). Your PHI will provide you with a small sign to post near the entrance of your premises. The sign has links to Insight, our online disclosure database, where you can find results of compliance inspections.
Class B Pool Can Operate as a Class A Pool
Requirements in order to operate a Class B pool as a Class A pool have been added.
Record Keeping
Operators must conduct regular operational checks and record specific details of observations. These records must be made available for one year for viewing by a PHI. Electronic records are an acceptable form of record. Total alkalinity and total chlorine have been added to the list of routine operational checks (refer to updated log sheet). The frequency of operational checks has been reduced from every hour to every two hours for spas.
Water Chemistry
Water chemistry requirements must be maintained for bather comfort and safety. Upper limits have been added for: free available chlorine in public pools (10.0ppm), total alkalinity (120 ppm), and bromine in public pools (4.0 ppm). Additionally, cyanuric acid is no longer permitted for use in spas, and continues to not be permitted for the use in pools partially or totally covered by a roof.
Make Up Water Requirement
Total required make up water per day has changed from 20 L per bather per day to 15 L per bather per day.
Admission Standards (Class A pools)
Class A pools are now required to have a process in place to ensure guardian supervision of children under 10 years of age. Pool operators are encouraged to continue using existing admission policies such as those recommended by the Chief Coroner of Ontario. Note that guardian does not necessarily mean legal guardian. It can include a parent or caregiver or other adult supervising young children.
First Aid Kits
The fixed quantities of first aid kit supplies have been replaced with a requirement to ensure “sufficient quantities” of each supply. The sufficient quantity should be determined by the operator in consultation with the PHI.
Lifeguard Certification (Class A Pools)
Lifeguard and assistant lifeguard certificates are issued by the Lifesaving Society, Canadian Red Cross or an equivalent certificate that is approved by the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.
Operator Training
Operator training is required for public pool and spa operators. Training is necessary to ensure operators are familiar with the regulatory requirements under Regulation 565 Public Pools, and are knowledgeable in how to properly maintain the facility to ensure safety of bathers and visitors.
Safety Equipment
Class B pool operators must ensure there is a buoy line separating the deep area from the shallow area, where the slope of the pool bottom is greater than 8%. The Ontario Building Code requires all public pools to be equipped with fittings for attaching a buoy line where the slope of a pool is greater than 8%.
Provincial Offences Act
The Provincial Offences Act (POA), Regulation 950, includes provincial offence notices (tickets) for infractions under Regulation 565 Public Pools which came into effect July 1, 2018. Schedule 39 of Regulation 950 under the POA includes short form wording and set fine amounts that range from $55.00 to $465.00, based on the severity of the infraction. For more information on POA tickets, refer to the Guide for defendants in Provincial offences cases.