In 1981, several provincial organizations began a program to deal with problems related to high school graduation. In the previous five years, several grad-night incidents had occurred: deaths, automobile accidents, boating-related injuries and driving and alcohol-related charges. Provincial and city police, ambulance services, hospital emergency wards and parents faced the end of June with uneasiness as tragedies resulting from high school graduation continued to increase.
These organizations began their work by looking at graduations throughout Manitoba and Saskatchewan and finding a process that would provide a safe celebration. That safe celebration, known as Safe Grad, is now widely accepted and is an integral part of graduation in nearly all Manitoba high schools.
Each year there is a Safe Grad planning seminar to assist parents, students and school administration in planning their graduation celebration.