Montreal school board says more crossing guards needed to keep kids safe

Montreal's public security committee is looking into why the number of crossing guards in the city hasn't increased in decades despite the student population's steady climb.

The city's largest school board, the CSDM, has more than 9,000 more elementary school students than it did 10 years ago, but the number of street crossings with guards has remained steady at 520.

The CSDM went before the commission Thursday evening, calling for more guards to help its growing population get to and from school safely.

"A global analysis must be carried out with all parties concerned to clearly assess the current situation and the needs to be filled, all with the aim of remedying the existing shortcomings and ensure safety around schools," says CSDM chair Catherine Harel Bourdon in a statement.

The CSDM calls the situation "unacceptable."

That call has brought to light a bit of a mystery — no one seems to know why the Montreal police department (SPVM), which manages and budgets for crossing guards every year, has capped the number of guards on duty.

"There was a freeze that was decreed at one point, decades ago, and my impression is that it was just a convenient thing to continue saying," said Coun. Alex Norris, chair of the public security committee.

"Convenient both for the SPVM, from a budgetary standpoint, and to the elected officials in previous administrations."

SPVM Inspector André Durocher said the force would be open to hiring more guards.

"We were just under the impression it was 520, and I think you heard the answer tonight: there's a budget that has to be put with that," he said. "If the city tells us to 'put more,' we'll put more."

The public security committee will meet in private to discuss the issue and it will make a recommendation next month.

Perez calls for solutions

Opposition leader Coun. Lionel Perez told CBC there were more than 140 accidents involving children between 2013 and 2017 and it's clear that something needs to be done to improve safety.

The city should, he said, be involving school communities and elected officials to "be able to make the right decisions."

The student population is continuing to grow, he said, and yet the police department has continued to reject calls for more crossing guards over the years.

"We can give proof that there have been requests that have been denied," he said.

However, he clarified, those requests may have stayed at the neighbourhood level rather than reaching the corporate level of the police department.

"We're looking forward to being able to change the model, to increase the number of crossing guards," he said.

It's not the only solution, he added, but it's an important part of the solution.

Manon Gosselin, who presides over Montreal's crossing guard union, said there is no question — more guards are needed as new schools open, and yet no new guards are being posted around the new schools. 

Gosselin said they don't need additional crossing guards at intersections that are already staffed, but rather to expand to provide guards at new crossings.