Canada may not be thought of as a sunny nation, but skin cancer affects one out of seven Canadians and remains the most common cancer diagnosed in Canada.

With the incidence of melanoma rising across the country, sun-safe behaviours are increasingly important to prevent skin cancer. Timely treatment saves lives, so early detection is also critical. Incidence rates of melanoma have increased in both men and women over the past several decades, growing 2.1 percent per year in men from 1992 to 2013, and 2.0 percent per year among women.

Studies show that one-in-three Canadians over the age of 18 got a sunburn last year. Unbeknownst to many, severe sunburns increase the risk of melanoma, so it’s important to keep the following sun-safe behaviours in mind this summer: