Up to 28,000 grade three students in Montreal will be taking part in a Swim to Survive program over the next two years.
The city of Montreal is contributing $200,000 to the program in a bid to prevent drownings and encourage fitness.
Quebec's Lifesaving Society says the Swim to Survive program will be the first introduction to a pool for many children.
Raynald Hawkins says children will learn not just how to swim and splash around, but also how to keep control if they accidentally fall into water.
"They have to do the roll entry, to replicate the disorientation when they fall overboard, for example, or inside the pool," said Hawkins.
He said children will also learn how to tread water and how to spot a safe exit.
"They have to maintain at the surface for 60 seconds to maintain their breath, and to see 'where can I swim?' And finally we ask them 'Can you swim two lengths of this pool? 50 metres with or without a lifejacket," said Hawkins.
Seven out of ten children that age are unable to swim well enough to avoid drowning in a pool.
Champion diver Annie Pelletier will be one of the program's official supporters.
Holding her six-month old son Arthur, Pelletier said she was delighted that Montreal is taking concrete steps to ensure children learn how to swim.
"I'm very proud that we did this announcement today here at my pool," said the woman who won bronze at the 1996 Olympic Games.
She pointed out that her son has yet to join her in the water, and that Sylvie Bernier, who won gold at the 1984 Summer Games, wanted to know when he was going to get wet.
"No, not yet. I can't believe Sylvie Bernier, she just asked me this this morning, you know did you come here before. He was just born in December and now with the good temperature I will come back for sure," said Pelletier.
Bernier is the 'godmother' of the program, and encourages everyone to learn the basics of swimming.
Montreal hopes to have 10,000 children take part in the coming school year, and 18,000 pupils in the 2017-2018 school year.
