Ottawa Safety Council
Ottawa Safety Council is a not-for-profit road safety organization founded in 1957 that runs a 580+ guard school crossing program in three Ontario cities, motorcycle licensing training (Gearing Up curriculum), and child road safety education (WalkSafe, CycleSafe, BestFit) for municipalities, families, and riders.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1957
- HeadquartersOttawa, Canada
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Ottawa Safety Council does
Ottawa Safety Council (OSC) is a registered not-for-profit charitable organization founded in 1957, headquartered at 301 Moodie Drive in Ottawa, Ontario. The organization delivers road safety programming across three integrated lines: (1) a Crossing Guard Program that deploys 580+ employed guards at 470+ school-zone intersections in Brockville, Ottawa, and Toronto, enabling over 3 million safe school-zone crossings annually in Ottawa alone; (2) a Motorcycle Training Program built on an adaptation of the Canada Safety Council's Gearing Up curriculum, offering M1 Exit, M2 Exit, and Experienced Rider Courses (including a free Enhanced Motorcycle Training Course launched in 2025) — OSC ranks third among Canada Safety Council programs in Ontario and first in the greater Ottawa area; and (3) Road Safety Education programs for children and families, including WalkSafe, CycleSafe, Road SMARTS 4 Kids (with E-cademy), BestFit Car & Booster Seat Safety clinics, Walking School Bus, and CrossSafe crossing guard training.
OSC's core 'technology' is its proprietary curriculum library and trained instructor/crossing guard workforce rather than software IP. Operational tooling consists of a course registration portal (registration.ottawasafetycouncil.ca), a recruitment portal, and standard marketing channels (website, blog, newsletters, social media on Facebook/Instagram/X/LinkedIn/YouTube). The organization is AODA and PIPEDA compliant.
The business model is a hybrid of professional services and charitable funding. The largest revenue stream is municipal contracts with the cities of Ottawa, Brockville, and Toronto for crossing guard services. Secondary streams include motorcycle training course fees, donations (charitable registration number 119071322 RR0001), and BestFit clinic fees. As a not-for-profit, surpluses are reinvested into free road safety education for children. Governance is overseen by a Board of Directors, with current executive leadership including CEO Julie Vogt and Executive Director Jamie Kwong.
Ottawa Safety Council firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ottawa Safety Council
- Legal name
- Ottawa Safety Council
- Website
- https://ottawasafetycouncil.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1957
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Ottawa Safety Council is a not-for-profit road safety organization founded in 1957 that runs a 580+ guard school crossing program in three Ontario cities, motorcycle licensing training (Gearing Up curriculum), and child road safety education (WalkSafe, CycleSafe, BestFit) for municipalities, families, and riders.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ottawa Safety Council industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Road Safety Education and Training Services
- NAICS
- Security Guards and Patrol Services (561612), Automobile Driving Schools (611692), Regulation and Administration of Transportation Programs (926120)
- SIC
- Transportation Services (4700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- School Zone & Child Safety Systems (School Zone Flashers, Crossing Control, Speed Enforcement) (TLAJAGAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Traffic Enforcement & Road Safety (Highway Patrol, DUI, Collision Investigation) (BPAIAGAJ), Transportation & Fleet Safety (DOT, Driver Safety) (EDABAEAM), Cyclist/Micromobility Safety Infrastructure (Protected Lanes, Bollards, Bike Signals, Conflict Mitigation) (TLAJAGAF), Road Safety Audits, Engineering & Data Analytics Services (RSA, Blackspot Analysis, Vision Zero Programs) (TLAJAGAM)
Keywords
Where Ottawa Safety Council is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ottawa
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ottawa Safety Council business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Municipal Contracts: OSC receives funding from municipal governments (Ottawa, Brockville, Toronto) to operate crossing guard programs at school zones. This represents a significant portion of revenue for the not-for-profit organization.
- Motorcycle Training Fees: Revenue from motorcycle training course registrations including M1 Exit, M2 Exit, and Experienced Rider Course (ERC) programs.
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a registered charity (Charitable Registration Number: 119071322 RR0001), OSC accepts donations to support free road safety education programs for children and awareness campaigns.
- BestFit Car Seat Clinics: Revenue from car seat safety fitting and education sessions, including individual appointments and group bookings.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Ottawa Safety Council product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Ottawa Safety Council is a not-for-profit organization that provides road safety education, training, and awareness services. Its core offerings include motorcycle rider training programs (Gearing Up-based M1 Exit, M2 Exit, and Experienced Rider Courses), municipal school zone crossing guard services across three Ontario cities, and community road safety education programs (WalkSafe pedestrian safety, CycleSafe cycling safety, Road SMARTS 4 Kids, and BestFit Car & Booster Seat Safety clinics).
Product overview
Ottawa Safety Council is a not-for-profit organization offering an integrated portfolio of road safety programs and services. The core offerings include: Motorcycle Training Programs (Gearing Up-based courses for M1, M2, and full M licence progression plus an Enhanced Motorcycle Training Course for experienced riders), a Crossing Guard Program serving Brockville, Ottawa, and Toronto with 580+ guards at 470+ intersections, and Road Safety Education programs including WalkSafe (pedestrian safety), CycleSafe (cycling safety), Road SMARTS 4 Kids (children's road safety education with E-cademy), BestFit Car & Booster Seat Safety (child passenger safety), and Walking School Bus. Additional services include CrossSafe Crossing Guard Training and the Road SMARTS Pledge program. The organization operates a course registration portal and provides community road safety awareness campaigns.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- WalkSafe: Pedestrian safety education program for children
- CycleSafe
- Road SMARTS
- Crossing Guard Program
- BestFit
- Walking School Bus
Products and services
- Motorcycle Training Programs Comprehensive motorcycle training courses including introductory courses for beginners, M2 Exit courses for obtaining full M licence, and Experienced Rider Course (ERC) for skill refinement. Programs are based on the Canada Safety Council's Gearing Up curriculum and serve new and experienced motorcyclists in Ontario's Graduated Licensing System.
- Enhanced Motorcycle Training Course Free advanced course for experienced riders with M2 licence or higher to sharpen skills, build confidence, and refresh safety fundamentals on their own motorcycles.
- Crossing Guard Program School zone crossing guard services deployed across Brockville, Ottawa, and Toronto with over 580 employed crossing guards at 470+ school zone intersections. Guards help children cross roads safely during school arrival and departure times. Delivered under municipal government contracts.
- WalkSafe Pedestrian safety education program offering presentations for children to teach safe walking practices in school zones and communities.
- CycleSafe Cycling safety education program teaching children and community members safe cycling practices and rules of the road.
- Road SMARTS 4 Kids Road safety education program for children including the Road SMARTS E-cademy for interactive learning about road safety awareness.
- BestFit Car & Booster Seat Safety Child passenger safety program offering car seat and booster seat safety education, fitting clinics, and BestFit Booster Course to ensure proper installation and use of child safety seats.
- CrossSafe Crossing Guard Training Training program for crossing guards to become certified in school zone safety procedures and protocols.
- Walking School Bus Community program where groups of children walk to school together with adult supervision, promoting pedestrian safety and physical activity.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 3 million safe school zone crossings conducted annually by OSC crossing guards in Ottawa alone.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Ottawa Safety Council
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ottawa Safety Council technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Ottawa Safety Council partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- City of TorontocoreThe OSC expanded its School Crossing Guard Services to Toronto in July 2023. OSC now provides crossing guard services in three Ontario cities: Brockville, Ottawa, and Toronto.
- Safer Roads OttawacoreSafer Roads Ottawa is a leading partnership between Ottawa Fire Services, Ottawa Paramedic Service, Ottawa Police Service, Ottawa Public Health, and the Public Works Department, committed to preventing road deaths and injuries. OSC works collaboratively with Safer Roads Ottawa on road safety initiatives, including the BestFit Car Seat initiative. Rob Wilkinson serves as Coordinator of Safer Roads Ottawa.
- City of OttawacoreThe City of Ottawa is the primary municipal partner of the OSC. OSC provides municipal Adult School Crossing Guard services across 260+ locations in Ottawa under a partnership agreement. The City also receives police reference checks for adult crossing guards from OSC.
- City of BrockvillecoreThe City of Brockville is a municipal partner where OSC provides crossing guard services at school zones.
- Canada Safety CouncilcoreOSC operates an adaptation of the Canada Safety Council's 'Gearing Up' motorcycle training program. OSC is one of the top-ranked CSC-affiliated motorcycle training providers in Ontario, ranking third in the province and first in the greater Ottawa area.
- Kidproof CanadaminorKidproof Canada developed the Cyber Safe & Bully Proofing workshop which is facilitated by the Ottawa Safety Council. This 3-hour interactive workshop for children aged 8-11 covers internet safety and bullying prevention.
- Computing Devices Canada (now General Dynamics)minorThrough contacts at Computing Devices Canada (now General Dynamics), OSC secured permission to use their parking lot in Bells Corners for motorcycle training (Gearing Up) purposes. This arrangement has continued since 1990.
- Mitchell & Homes, Chartered AccountantsminorMitchell & Homes are the auditors of the Ottawa Safety Council, as referenced in the OSC Privacy Policy.
- Collins & Barrow, Chartered AccountantsminorCollins & Barrow are chartered accountants referenced in the OSC Privacy Policy as having access to personal information for auditing purposes.
- Halpenny Insurance BrokersminorHalpenny Insurance Brokers is referenced in the OSC Privacy Policy as an organization to which personal information may be disclosed.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ottawa Safety Council competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Kidproof Canada: National child safety education provider (including the Cyber Safe & Bully Proofing workshop that OSC facilitates); an emerging player with overlapping child safety education content delivered via schools.
- Driving.ca (CAA) School Zone / Walk Safe Programs: CAA's consumer road safety publication and content platform providing driver education, school zone, and pedestrian safety resources online; an emerging player competing for the same community/school road safety audience as OSC's WalkSafe and Road SMARTS programs.
Broad incumbents
- Canadian Automobile Association (CAA): Federated national organization running road safety advocacy, driver education, and school-zone programs alongside its core membership/services business; a broader incumbent with overlapping road safety mandate.
- Canada Safety Council: National umbrella road safety charity whose 'Gearing Up' motorcycle curriculum OSC adapts; operates across Canada in driver, motorcycle, and workplace safety, making it the closest national peer in mission and offerings.
- Parachute Canada: National charity focused on injury prevention including road and pedestrian safety; comparable as a Canadian nonprofit advocating for and delivering safety education to children and road users.
Regional players
- SAAQ (Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec): Quebec's public auto insurer that administers motorcycle licensing and road safety programs; a regional peer operating on the road safety training mandate in a different province from OSC.
- BCAA: British Columbia's leading road safety and auto association delivering driver training and school road safety education; a regional peer to OSC with similar community-safety programming.
- Alberta Motor Association (AMA): Provincial auto/road safety organization delivering driver education and community road safety programs in Alberta; comparable as a regional road safety / driver training peer serving a different geography than OSC's Ontario focus.
Direct peers
- Young Drivers of Canada: National driver training school offering in-car and classroom courses for new and experienced drivers; directly comparable to OSC's motorcycle training business model and consumer-facing course registration flow.
- Ontario Safety League: Ontario-focused traffic safety non-profit delivering driver improvement courses, youth/pedestrian programs, and corporate fleet training; directly comparable to OSC's road safety education mission in the same province.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ottawa Safety Council social profiles
Digital presenceOttawa Safety Council compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Ottawa Safety Council financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ottawa Safety Council leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Ottawa Safety Council funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ottawa Safety Council M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ottawa Safety Council
What does Ottawa Safety Council do?
The Ottawa Safety Council is a not-for-profit organization that provides road safety education, training, and awareness services. Its core offerings include motorcycle rider training programs (Gearing Up-based M1 Exit, M2 Exit, and Experienced Rider Courses), municipal school zone crossing guard services across three Ontario cities, and community road safety education programs (WalkSafe pedestrian safety, CycleSafe cycling safety, Road SMARTS 4 Kids, and BestFit Car & Booster Seat Safety clinics).
Is Ottawa Safety Council a public or private company?
Ottawa Safety Council is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ottawa Safety Council founded?
Ottawa Safety Council was founded in 1957. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Ottawa Safety Council based?
Ottawa Safety Council is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Ottawa Safety Council make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Municipal Contracts are the primary driver. The others are motorcycle Training Fees, donations and Charitable Contributions and bestFit Car Seat Clinics.
Who are Ottawa Safety Council's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Kidproof Canada and Driving.ca (CAA) School Zone / Walk Safe Programs. Broad incumbents are Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), Canada Safety Council and Parachute Canada. Regional players are SAAQ (Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec), BCAA and Alberta Motor Association (AMA). Direct peers are Young Drivers of Canada and Ontario Safety League.
Does Ottawa Safety Council have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ottawa Safety Council.
What industry is Ottawa Safety Council in?
Ottawa Safety Council's product category is Road Safety Education and Training Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAJAGAJ, School Zone & Child Safety Systems (School Zone Flashers, Crossing Control, Speed Enforcement), with a secondary code of BPAIAGAJ, Traffic Enforcement & Road Safety (Highway Patrol, DUI, Collision Investigation). Its NAICS code is 561612 and its SIC code is 4700.