HALDIMAND—For years, Sue Llewellyn and Pip Thain were familiar faces to children making their way to school in Haldimand County. When students returned this September, neither was standing at their usual crossing locations.
The two former crossing guards are among several who have raised concerns following a change in the company responsible for Haldimand County’s crossing guard program.
Synergy Protection Group began providing crossing guard services for the County on September 8, 2026, taking responsibility for hiring, training, supervision, and administration of the program.
Haldimand County Supervisor of Customer Experience and Communications Kyra Hayes said municipalities are responsible for implementing crossing guard programs under the Highway Traffic Act, but Haldimand has historically used external contractors to administer its program.
“Contracts are limited in duration and awarded every few years through a competitive bid process to ensure fairness and equal opportunity,” Hayes said.
She said Synergy was the successful bidder for the new contract and is responsible for all hiring, training, supervision, and related human-resources matters.
“As outlined in the contract, Haldimand County does not play any role in the hiring process,” Hayes said.
Llewellyn had worked as a crossing guard in Caledonia for three years and said she had no intention of leaving the job.
“I love kids,” she said. “I had a great relationship with the kids.”
After learning Synergy had received the contract, Llewellyn found a job posting online and applied. She completed a virtual interview and began the onboarding process, which included a vulnerable sector police check and online training courses.
She said the police check did not concern her because crossing guards work with children: “I can understand their concern that way.”
However, she questioned some of the other requirements and why experienced guards had to go through the entire hiring process again.
Llewellyn attended an in-person training session but left during the lunch break as she said she was uncomfortable with the requirements of the new company. She said trainees were told guards would be required to use an app on their personal phones to clock in and out, which would use GPS technology to determine their location.
“I said, ‘You’re not putting GPS on my personal phone,’” she recalled. “I can’t do this. I’m out. This isn’t for me.”
Llewellyn said she also had concerns about other rules discussed during training, including restrictions on sitting and using umbrellas, along with a $150 uniform charge deducted from pay that she said could later be refunded under certain conditions.
Her biggest concern, however, was why experienced crossing guards were not automatically brought into the new program before additional workers were recruited.
“Why wouldn’t they just take on the crossing guards that are already in place – and any extras they need, post the job, then have them hired and trained?” she asked. “They could have went about this in a better way, and had a little more respect for the crossing guards that were already in place and wanted their jobs back.”
“I think they dropped the ball,” she added.
Thain, who said he had worked as a crossing guard for about five years, also wanted to return.
He said his previous location was close to his home and that he enjoyed seeing the same children and families each day and over the years.
Thain said he applied with Synergy and was initially told the available work would be casual or on-call. He did not believe that arrangement would work for him after previously having a regular crossing.
He later applied again and submitted a resume, but said he did not hear back.
“I would have thought that they would decide (to re-hire) that people was already there, because they’re doing a job and everything,” Thain said.
Hayes said County staff had attempted to obtain the names of guards employed by the former contractor but were unsuccessful.
“It’s very unfortunate that the prior contract holder did not communicate with its guards appropriately or express willingness to connect its employees with Synergy to facilitate continuity of employment,” Hayes said.
She said a number of former crossing guards instead contacted the County.
“Many individuals formerly employed as guards by the previous contractor have reached out to Haldimand staff directly about continued employment, and those individuals have been connected with Synergy,” Hayes said.
Synergy National Director of Crossing Guard Service Kim Hefferman said the company also attempted to obtain information from the previous contractor so it could contact existing guards directly, but did not receive it.
Ultimately, seven guards from the previous program joined Synergy, Hefferman said, leaving the company to recruit and train the majority of the workforce needed to launch the program within approximately 30 days.
Haldimand’s program requires a minimum of 22 crossing guards, in addition to its field supervisor and casual staff.
Synergy advertised online and in The Haldimand Press, distributed recruitment flyers, and held virtual and in-person job fairs. A September 1, 2026 job fair in Caledonia advertised permanent and casual positions at $20 an hour and stated no resume was required.
Hayes similarly said a resume was not required to attend Synergy’s job fairs, although employment history and police clearance were required.
“In an effort to minimize barriers to employment, Synergy will support interested individuals through the application steps, understanding that candidates may not have an up-to-date resume due to being retired for some time, not having access to a computer, or other reasons,” Hayes said.
Hefferman said all required crossing guard locations have been covered since Synergy began providing service September 8, but recruitment continues to build a larger pool of casual guards who can fill absences or future vacancies.
“We have continued to make it clear that the door remains open to former Haldimand County crossing guards and encourage them to reach out to us,” Hefferman said.
She said candidates go through an application, interview, and screening process before training. Newly hired crossing guards receive eight hours of paid training, including five hours of in-person theory, practical instruction, and testing, followed by on-the-job training at their assigned location.
The program also has a dedicated field supervisor who regularly visits crossing locations to provide observation, coaching, and additional support.
“Our goal is not simply to train someone and send them to an intersection,” Hefferman said. “We want our crossing guards to feel comfortable and supported in their role and to know they have someone available to help when they need it.”
For Llewellyn, however, the change still meant walking away from a job she had expected to continue.
“Did I want to give up being a crossing guard? Absolutely not,” she said. “But even I have limits.”
