Item - 2021.IE24.10

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to include an additional 31 locations, as listed in Attachment 1 to the report (August 31, 2021) from the General Manager, Transportation Services, in the School Crossing Guard Program for the 2021-2022 school year, for which the operational costs of these 31 locations will be put before City Council for consideration in the 2022 Operating Budget submission.

The 2020-2021 school year marked the second full year since Transportation Services operated the School Crossing Guard Program completely autonomous from the Toronto Police Service. Transportation Services contracted the school crossing guard services to two vendors, Carraway Incorporated and A.S.P Incorporated, in 2019 for two years ending July 31, 2021. The contract included the option for two additional years to continue providing crossing guard services until June 2023. Despite the challenges the program faced due to the sporadic COVID-19 lockdown and resumption periods, both vendors continued to maintain a high level of service ranging from 98-100 percent coverage when required. To ensure continuity of service and a successful school year, both contracts have been renewed through option year one for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year.

Over the past year, the number of requested new school crossing guard locations has continued to increase. As traffic data collection was suspended over various periods of the previous year due to the pandemic, the number of requested locations increased to 216 from adoption of the program to January 31, 2021. Despite the pandemic pause, City staff were still able to conduct warrant reviews at 134 locations, resulting in a total of 61 additional locations, 30 of which were approved though a previous City Council report but not yet installed due to school closures. These 30 locations will be implemented starting September 2021. 

This report seeks approval to fund and install the 31 new locations that met warrants for the 2021-2022 school year.  Funding for these 31 new locations will be absorbed into the existing 2021 Operating Budget which is underspent due to the COVID-related school closures. Transportation Services will require an increase in the 2022 Operating Budget to accommodate the 31 additional crossing guards.

Both vendors have spent the summer rehiring guards for the 2021-2022 school year, as well as conducing security clearances, training and equipping the school crossing guards with the necessary COVID-19 related Personal Protective Equipment so that they are fully prepared to begin the deployment of 765 school crossing guards in September.

As previously directed, staff will continue their review of the crossing guard lunch period shifts to determine if a reduction in lunch time coverage would reduce overall costs while still providing a high level of safety. Given the inconsistent school closures as a result of COVID, more research is required before a recommendation on the lunch shift coverage can be made.