School crossing guards honoured on appreciation day across Quebec, part of weeklong campaign

Montrealers marked School Crossing Guards Appreciation Day Tuesday as part of a weeklong campaign across Quebec recognizing the people who help children safely cross busy streets on their way to and from school.

The second annual appreciation week runs from Oct. 26 to Nov. 1. This year’s theme is “At the Forefront of Student Safety.”

“School crossing guards help prevent collisions, remind people of road safety rules and maintain a climate of trust and respect in school environments,” Quebec’s transport ministry said in a news release.

In Montreal, crossing guard Christine Mantzavrakos has been serving her community for six years.

On a chilly fall morning at 7:30 a.m., students and parents stopped to greet and thank Mantzavrakos as she stood at the corner of Fielding and West Hill avenues in Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, wearing her fluorescent yellow vest and holding a stop sign.

Mantzavrakos said she quickly realized the job was a natural fit.

“It’s a super community job,” she said, adding that it allows her to spend time outdoors while getting to know the people in her neighbourhood.

“I think it’s a job that many people would like to try out,” she said. “I think they would stay as I did.”

Her journey began after a crossing guard she regularly saw while walking her daughter to elementary school retired – but returned the very next year to help during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The guard, Patrick, had become a familiar face in the neighbourhood. Mantzavrakos says he returned to his post to help address a shortage of crossing guards.

“He said, ‘Well, they need more crossing guards. They don’t have enough crossing guards,’” she recalled.

That prompted Mantzavrakos to apply.

“I decided to apply, I inquired and I jumped in and then I just couldn’t stop,” she said.

“What I love about this job is that you’re a witness to people’s lives and it’s like a choreography because every day at about the same time, the same people run or walk to their stops,” she said.

She has also grown familiar with local bus drivers, parents and children, often exchanging waves and greetings with people passing through her intersection.

Jean-Pierre Brabant, a spokesperson for Montreal police (SPVM) whose mother was a crossing guard for 25 years, said they are important partners in keeping neighbourhoods safe.

“They’re an important partner for us, the Montreal Police, but not only the police, the schools and the community,” he explained. “They’re the eyes and ears for us. If they see anything, they’ll contact us. They know the sector, they know the people.”

As for Mantzavrakos, she returns to her intersection three times a day, working a total of four hours. The schedule allows her to continue working on projects as a graphic designer between shifts.

The transport ministry is encouraging Quebecers to show their appreciation for crossing guards through small gestures throughout the week, whether with a wave, a smile or a simple thank you.

For Mantzavrakos, those everyday interactions are among the most rewarding parts of the job.

“I feel like I can bring a bit of positive energy in people’s lives,” she said. “Starting straight in the morning when they take their first bus or their first coffee.”