Ottawa facing crossing guard shortage

The Ottawa Safety Council, the not-for-profit that employs crossing guards in Ottawa, is facing a shortage of crossing guards weeks ahead of students’ return to school.

The council is looking to recruit close to 100 new guards to provide safety at intersections across the capital. The shortfall in recruiting being blamed on the pandemic, rising gas prices and jobs in other sectors drawing applicants away.

A large contingent of recruits are normally retirees who can be more vulnerable to COVID-19.

Longtime crossing guard Eleanor Murnaghan says she does not do the job for the money, but helping the community.

“As my kids have gotten old enough to go to school on their own, this is my little me-time job,” Murnaghan said. “If you like being outside, if you like giving back to the community and seeing these smiling faces of the kids and parents every day, it’s worth it.”

With school starting in a few weeks, the council says they have 500 shifts to fill each school day at 260 busy traffic intersections across the city.  

Jamie Kwong, the executive director of the Ottawa Safety Council, says they need the community to step up to help make it safer on the streets for kids.

“This job entails being great with the community, having a passion for the care and safety of children, and being focused on the task at hand,” she said. “We have guards that have been with us for 20 years.”

Kwong said the job starts at $17 an hour and there are premiums depending on how many shifts people work.

The crossing guard program is a partnership between the Ottawa Safety Council and the city of Ottawa. The council says each year, crossing guards conduct about four million safe crossings.

You can find more information here.