03/25/2026
With upcoming board meetings this April ☕️
DISCLAIMER: Long informative post, knowledge is power and we must come together in learning and protecting
The Supporting Children and Students Act, 2024, is the provincial legislation that mandates many of the safety changes currently being implemented across Niagara schools in 2026. Bill33
Its primary goal is to shift school safety from a purely reactive model to a proactive, mentorship-based approach.
This legislation is the foundation for the significant changes to school safety protocols and police presence currently being implemented in 2026. Bill33
1. The "Supporting Children and Students Act"
Passed: Late 2024 (with full implementation for the 2025–2026 school year).
Impact: This is the specific provincial law that mandated the return of School Resource Officers (SROs) to Ontario schools. It requires school boards to develop formal protocols with local police (like the NRPS) to allow officers back into hallways for mentorship and security.
2. Niagara School Board Budgets (2025–2026)
DSBN Budget Passed: June 2025.
The Board of Trustees officially approved the $666.7 million budget, which included the $69 million for capital projects and security system upgrades.
Niagara Catholic (NCDSB) Budget Passed: June 2025.
Trustees approved the $346 million budget, prioritizing the "enhanced technology investments" for school safety and student well-being.
3. Provincial Security & Anti-Hate Grants
Announced/Passed: May 2024.
The Ontario government established the $30 million School Safety Grant (spread over three years: 2024–2027). This allows Niagara schools to apply for funding for v**e detectors, security cameras, and lighting throughout the current 2026 calendar year.
Anti-Hate Security and Prevention Grant: This was renewed in the 2025 Ontario Budget (passed in Spring 2025) to provide the $10,000 grants currently available for school security hardening.
4. Niagara Regional Police (NRPS) Budget
Passed: December 2025.
The Niagara Regional Council approved the 2026 police budget, which included the funding for new helicopters and increased patrol capabilities that support school zones during high-alert events like the March 5 "swatting" incident.
By passing these budgets and laws in 2025, authorities ensured that the physical hardware (cameras, locks) and personnel (SROs, mental health leads) were funded and ready for the January–June 2026 semester
Schools Receiving 2026 CCTV Upgrades
The DSBN has launched a major "CCTV Upgrades - 2026-Elementary Schools - Phase 2" project for the following locations:
St. Catharines: Alternate Pathways Centre (Briardale), Burleigh Hill Public School, Harriet Tubman Public School, Oakridge Public School, and Prince of Wales Public School.
Grimsby: Central Public School (Old site), Grand Avenue Public School, Lakeview Public School, and Nelles Public School.
Niagara Falls: Forestview Public School, Greendale Public School, John Marshall Public School, Kate S. Durdan Public School, and Prince Philip Public School.
Welland: Glynn A. Green Public School and Plymouth Public School.
Other Locations: Caistor Central (Caistor Centre), Crossroads (Niagara-on-the-Lake), Gainsborough (St. Anns), and McKay (Port Colborne).
New Community Safety Zones (2024–2026)
Enhanced road safety and surveillance zones have been established at these ten schools:
West Lincoln: John Calvin School and Smithville District Christian High School.
Grimsby: Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary and Park Elementary School.
St. Catharines: DSBN Academy and St. Ann Catholic Elementary School.
Other Locations: Greendale Elementary (Niagara Falls), Our Lady of Victory Catholic (Fort Erie), Crossroads Public (Niagara-on-the-Lake), and Alexander Kuska KSG Catholic (Welland).
Technology Pilots and New Builds
V**e Detectors: Both the DSBN and Niagara Catholic District School Board are installing v**e detectors in all regional high schools, with a primary focus on washrooms and locker rooms.
AI Weapon Detection: While widely used in Niagara Falls, NY, Ontario boards are currently prioritizing "AI professional development" and digital safety monitors over broad-scale physical AI screening for 2026.
New Infrastructure: Major expansions were recently completed or are underway at Peace Bridge Public School ($7M), Smith Public School ($11M), and a new joint elementary school in Wainfleet
To wrap this all up, here is a summary of the security hardware and technology currently being rolled out across Niagara schools (DSBN and Niagara Catholic) with the 2026 funding:
1. AI-Powered "Touchless" Screening
Instead of traditional metal detectors that create long lines, some high-traffic secondary schools are piloting Evolv Express or CEIA OpenGate systems
How it works: Students walk through at a normal pace without removing backpacks
What it finds: Sensors use AI to ignore "everyday" metal (like laptops or binders) but instantly alert staff to the density and shape of fi****ms or large knives
2. "Smart" Washroom Sensors
Since cameras aren't allowed in private areas, schools are installing HALO Smart Sensors
V**e Detection: They detect THC and ni****ne chemical signatures
Safety Alerts: They are programmed to detect "aggression patterns" (shouting or glass breaking) and send an immediate silent alert to the principal’s phone
3. Perimeter "Hardened" Windows
Many ground-floor windows are being treated with 3M™ Safety & Security Film
The Benefit: If a window is hit with a blunt object or shot, the film holds the glass shards together in the frame
The Result: It creates a "delay" that prevents an intruder from simply smashing a window to walk inside, giving police more time to arrive
4. Digital Threat Monitoring (Social Media)
Following the "swatting" incidents in Toronto and Niagara, boards are using tools like Social Sentinel or Gaggle
Early Warning: These scan public, geotagged social media posts near school grounds for keywords related to weapons, self-harm, or "hit lists"
Success: This technology was instrumental in the Kitchener arrests earlier this month, where threats were identified online before any harm occurred
5. Tactical "Wayfinding" for Police
Every school is being mapped with Collaborative Response Graphics (CRG) [21].
The Goal: These are gridded, color-coded maps provided to Niagara Regional Police (NRPS)
The Benefit: If an officer who has never been to the school responds to a call, they can find "Entrance 4" or "Science Lab B" instantly based on the digital map on their cruiser's dashboard
Beyond the hardware and staff already mentioned, Niagara schools are seeing a shift toward "invisible" security and faster communication. These additional improvements were rolled out following the March 2026 threats to ensure response times are cut from minutes to seconds.
# # # 1. Real-Time Emergency Notification Systems
Mobile Alert Apps: The DSBN and Niagara Catholic have upgraded their parent-notification systems. In the event of a "Hold and Secure" (like the one on March 5), parents now receive push notifications and SMS alerts within 60 seconds of the police arriving on site
Direct-to-Police Silent Alarms: New funding has allowed schools to install "panic buttons" in main offices and gymnasiums that bypass traditional emergency services dispatch and alert Niagara Regional Police (NRPS) units directly with the school's GPS coordinates
2. "Touchless" AI Weapon Detection
Evolv/OpenGate Systems: Some high-traffic Niagara secondary schools are piloting AI-driven screening. Unlike old-fashioned metal detectors, these allow students to walk through at a normal pace without removing bags. The AI identifies the density and shape of weapons while ignoring laptops and binders
V**e & Sound Sensors: New sensors in washrooms (where cameras aren't allowed) can detect not just chemicals, but also "aggressive acoustic patterns" (shouting or glass breaking) and automatically alert school administrators
3. Enhanced Perimeter "Hardening"
Shatter-Resistant Film: Many ground-floor windows in Niagara schools are being treated with a specialized 3M security film. This doesn't stop the glass from breaking, but it keeps the shards together in the frame, preventing an intruder from quickly smashing a window to enter the building
Wayfinding Signage for Police: Hallways and exterior doors are being numbered and color-coded. This allows a responding NRPS officer—who may never have been inside that specific school—to find "Room 202" or the "East Cafeteria Entrance" instantly based on dispatch instructions
4. Digital Threat Monitoring
Social Media Scanning: Following the rise in "swatting" via TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), Ontario school boards are using software to monitor public geotagged posts near schools. This helps identify local threats or "hit lists" before they are acted upon, as seen in the Kitchener arrests earlier this month
5. Tactical Training for Staff
VTRA (Violence Threat Risk Assessment): Niagara teachers are undergoing updated Level 1 and 2 VTRA training. This teaches them how to identify "the pathway to violence" in a student's behavior (leakage, fixation, or identification with past shooters) to intervene before a threat is even made
For the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding school safety protocols in Niagara, you can access the dedicated "Safe Schools" web links for both major boards below:
District School Board of Niagara (DSBN):
Safe & Accepting Schools Home
This portal includes resources on progressive discipline, bullying prevention, and trauma-sensitive learning environments.
District Safety Webpage (DSBN): dsbn.org/safe-accepting-schools
Niagara Catholic District School Board:
Safe and Accepting Schools
This page outlines the board's commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment and provides links to specific anti-bullying and emergency communication resources.
District Safety Webpage (Niagara Catholic): niagaracatholic.ca/community/safe_and_accepting_schools