OAKVILLE, Ont. — Strong winds and almost freezing temperatures didn't deter hundreds of brave souls from jumping into Lake Ontario in a New Year's Day tradition.
Some 750 people took part in the Courage Polar Bear Dip in Oakville., Ont., just west of Toronto on Wednesday.
Aiden Peel, who travelled more than 100 kilometres from Innisfil, Ont., to take the plunge said it was his way to get a fresh start in the new year without a hangover.
The Oakville-based polar bear dip has been running for 40 years, and is one of many such events across the country that raise money for charity.
The event attracted people of all ages. Among the participants was eight-year-old Evelyn Gray, who was planning on taking the polar dip with her father.
"I'm very excited because I've always wanted to do this," she said.
World Vision Canada CEO Michael Messenger said the plunge is expected to raise about $100,000, but numbers won't be finalized for "a couple of days." He said the funds will be used to provide clean water in Congo and Zambia this year.
Messenger, who is also an Oakville resident, said he has personally also taken part in the dip for the past 17 years.
"This is an incredibly meaningful event for me," he said in an interview. "It's a little bit crazy. (I'm) not a big fan of the cold water, but I am a big fan of the warm hearts of people here in Oakville."
Across the country in Vancouver, hundreds lined up to take a plunge into the Pacific Ocean at English Bay Beach on Wednesday afternoon.
Temperatures hovered around 7 C when the city's official 105th annual polar bear swim kicked off at noon. The event runs for about four hours and includes a more than 90-metre swimming race.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 1, 2025.
Ritika Dubey, The Canadian Press
