Ottawa's crossing guards put themselves between children and traffic every single school day — and residents are now asking whether the city is doing enough to protect them.
In a wave of letters to the Ottawa Citizen published Tuesday, March 31, 2026, readers weighed in on a pointed question: how do you protect the people who protect our kids? One answer gaining traction among writers is equipping crossing guards with body cameras.
A Simple Idea With Real Weight
The proposal mirrors what police forces and transit workers across Canada have adopted in recent years to document confrontations and deter aggressive behaviour. For crossing guards — who are often volunteers or part-time city employees — the stakes are just as real. They regularly stand at busy intersections, sometimes facing drivers who run red lights, ignore stop signals, or become verbally abusive when asked to yield.
Body cameras, advocates argue, would serve a dual purpose: creating a record of dangerous incidents and, perhaps more importantly, making would-be offenders think twice before acting out.
Crossing Guards Face Real Risks
Ottawa's crossing guard program operates at dozens of school crossings across the city, with guards stationed during morning drop-off and afternoon pickup. Their bright vests and handheld stop signs are meant to command authority — but as any crossing guard will tell you, not every driver pays attention.
Incidents of near-misses, close calls, and confrontations with frustrated drivers are not uncommon in urban school zones. Without a formal way to document these events, guards are often left without recourse when reporting problems to the city or to police.
What the City Could Do
Body camera programs for non-police workers have been piloted in other Canadian cities and municipalities, typically at modest cost. The technology has become significantly cheaper in recent years, making it a more feasible option for municipal budgets.
Beyond cameras, letter writers suggested other measures: better-lit crosswalks, automated speed enforcement near schools, and stronger penalties for drivers who fail to yield to crossing guards. Some pointed to Ontario's existing legislation, which already mandates that drivers stop for crossing guards — but enforcement remains inconsistent.
The Bigger Conversation
What the letters reflect is something Ottawa residents clearly feel strongly about: the people who keep children safe deserve to be safe themselves. Crossing guards are a visible, trusted part of the daily school routine in neighbourhoods across the city — from Barrhaven to Vanier to Kanata — and the community is paying attention to their wellbeing.
Whether city council takes up the body camera suggestion remains to be seen, but the conversation is clearly one Ottawa wants to have.
Source: Ottawa Citizen, Letters to the Editor, March 31, 2026
