Crossing Guard Program Review
As part of an ongoing effort to maintain a safe environment for pedestrians in our community, the City is seeking public input on the review the City of Sarnia's Crossing Guard program.
The City of Sarnia provides crossing guards at specific locations throughout the community. Guards are provided to ensure that school aged children have a safe opportunity to cross at locations that are convenient in their travels to and from school. The map below shows the current crossing guard locations and times for the program within the City of Sarnia. You can click on individual crossings to see nearby schools and current crossing guard hours.
The City has historically contracted delivery of the crossing guard service to a third party. Prior to the 2023-2024 school year, due to significant cost increases in third-party costs, it was decided to implement a one year pilot program to bring the crossing guard service in house. The pilot was initiated with the intention of lowering the cost of delivery, while maintaining a closer relationship with the crossing guards who provide an invaluable service to the community.
As part of the pilot crossing guard program, public consultation is being held to provide members of the community the opportunity to provide their input towards the future of this service delivery.
The comments and information received will assist staff in the assessment of the existing program for the guards, the crossing locations and, most importantly, the students. We are seeking input and feedback towards the current program level of service, contemplation of alternatives or modifications to the existing program and any additional general input to help maintain a safe pedestrian environment for school aged children.
After reviewing the information on this page, we’d like to hear from you. Please complete the survey at the bottom of this page and feel free to provide further feedback via our feedback form. Public consultation remains open until February 21, 2024.
What is the crossing guard program?
Crossing guards provide security by directing and supervising pedestrians across a roadway at designated school crossing locations in accordance with the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and through the City of Sarnia guidelines. While many municipalities have a crossing guard program in place, many other municipalities do not, or have a modified service delivery favoring Pedestrian Crossovers, or utilization of students or volunteers for crossing assistance. The City of Sarnia has historically opted for the approach of a full program and warrant policy to support adding and removing crossings as necessary.
Why were the guards brought “in-house”?
/Historically, the guard program has been contracted out and administered by a private security company. Following a sudden disruption of service from the private company administering the crossing guard contract in May of 2023, the City was forced to take emergency measures for the month of June to ensure no disruption to the service. Following the school year, a tender for a new contract was issued and yielded a significant increase in the service cost. A high-level review revealed the potential for significant cost savings, and so a pilot program was proposed to bring the crossing guard service "in-house" to evaluate the full scale of responsibilities in hiring the guards directly. Staff have created the framework for this program for the 2023-2024 school year. The result of this public engagement shall be taken into consideration with respect to the future of the program. The table below provides a cost comparison of alternatives that have been contemplated by other communities across the province with costing data relative to our local context.
Crossing Solution Cost Comparison
| Crossing Guard Solution | Approximate Cost of Delivery Per Crossing | Examples within the Community |
|---|---|---|
| Crossing Guard as City Employee | $14,500 (annual) | see location map above |
| Crossing Guard as Contractor Employee | $23,500 (annual) | see location map above |
| Pedestrian Crossover (Type B) | $54,000 (one time) | Michigan Avenue at Howard Watson Nature Trail |
| Pedestrian Crossover (Type C) | $29,000 (one time) | East Street at George Street |
| Intersection/Mid-Block Pedestrian Signal | $92,000 (one time) | Indian Road at Germain Street |
Who is affected?
The dedicated crossing guards are intended to guide school aged children safely at specific locations, however, safe crossings are for everyone. To provide a dedicated crossing with trained, professional, and friendly supervised assistance benefits all members of the community by increasing awareness and safety for the most vulnerable users of our transportation system. It is the responsibility of these users and the guards to ensure they use the crossings as intended, as well as drivers to adhere to the requirements of the Highway Traffic Act. Doing so will ensure the desired safe and respectful atmosphere for all users.
Learn more about the conditions (warrants) for crossing placement
Please review our Crossing Guard Warrant Policy to better understand the conditions the City utilizes to judge the placement of crossings.
Provide your input
City Staff are seeking community input with respect to:
- The current crossing guard warrant policy for additions and removals
- Experiences with current crossings throughout the City.
- Guard professionalism with respect to pedestrians and traffic considerations
- Driver behaviour and interactions
- Input towards alternatives for new crossing locations
- Potential policy changes
Please take a moment to review the information provided and participate in our Public Consultation Process by completing the survey below on this page. You may also reach out to City staff directly to discuss this topic and share your view.
If you have any questions related to the information provided on this page, or to discuss this topic please contact Gerald Hawley, Transportation Technologist, at 519-332-0330, ext. 3286.
