Operation Lifesaver Canada recognizes Cynthia Stotz of CN Police and the City of Ottawa for their outstanding contributions to rail safety education and awareness.
Every year, the Roger Cyr Awards recognize individuals and municipalities that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to advancing rail safety education and awareness in Canada.
Named in memory of Operation Lifesaver Canada founder and passionate rail safety advocate Roger Cyr, the awards recognize one individual for their leadership, volunteerism and commitment to promoting rail safety, and one municipality for its innovation and dedication to public safety near railways.
This year, Operation Lifesaver Canada is proud to recognize Constable Cynthia Stotz of CN Police as the Individual recipient and the City of Ottawa as the Municipality recipient of the 2025 Roger Cyr Awards.
Individual Recipient: Cynthia Stotz, CN Police
For Constable Cynthia Stotz, rail safety education has been a longstanding commitment.
Throughout her career, Cynthia has delivered or participated in more than 3,015 rail safety presentations, educational sessions and community outreach activities, connecting with students, first responders, community organizations, businesses and members of the public.
Her involvement has taken many forms, from school presentations and community safety events to Rail Safety Week initiatives and major public outreach activities across Ontario. She has worked alongside railway partners, police services, emergency responders, Indigenous communities and community organizations to bring rail safety information to diverse audiences.
Cynthia has also been an active contributor to Operation Lifesaver initiatives, supporting public education and awareness around the dangers of trespassing on railway property and unsafe behaviours at railway crossings.
Beyond the scale of her outreach, Cynthia was recognized for the professionalism, enthusiasm and care she brings to rail safety education. Her ability to communicate safety information in an engaging and accessible way has helped her connect with people of different ages and backgrounds.
Her sustained dedication to education, community engagement and rail safety makes her a deserving recipient of the Individual Roger Cyr Award.
Municipality Recipient: City of Ottawa
The City of Ottawa has demonstrated a sustained commitment to making rail safety an ongoing municipal priority.
Over several years, the City has worked closely with Operation Lifesaver Canada, Ottawa Police Service, VIA Rail and other partners to develop and support a range of rail safety education and awareness initiatives.
These efforts have included installing Look. Listen. Live. pavement decals at railway crossings, hosting annual Operation Clear Track activities, incorporating rail safety messaging into transit advertising, distributing bilingual educational resources and bringing rail safety information to community events.
The City has also invested significant time and resources in the Rail Safe Ottawa Project, which brings together engineering, education, enforcement and public outreach to support rail safety across the city.
What stood out in Ottawa’s nomination was the sustained nature of this work. Rather than focusing on a single initiative, the City has continued to build on its efforts, explore new ways to reach residents and strengthen partnerships year after year.
This long-term commitment to rail safety education, awareness and collaboration makes the City of Ottawa a deserving recipient of the Municipality Roger Cyr Award.
Recognizing this year’s nominees
In addition to this year’s recipients, Operation Lifesaver Canada is pleased to recognize the individuals and municipalities whose eligible nominations were considered for the 2025 Roger Cyr Awards.
Individual nominees
- Constable James Archdekin, CPKC Police Service
- Jean-Pierre Brazeau, retired
- Toby Trudel, L’Assomption/Saint-Sulpice Police Service (Community Prevention Division)
- Daniel Lapierre, EXO
- Frank Ibe, Metrolinx
- Marcel Leboulaire, QNS&L
- Dean Rasmussen, Southern Railway of British Columbia Limited
Municipality nominees
- Saint-Hèlène-de-Bagot
Each nomination highlighted meaningful contributions to rail safety, from education and community outreach to partnerships and local initiatives.
Operation Lifesaver Canada thanks all of this year’s nominees for their contributions to rail safety education and awareness, as well as those who took the time to recognize their work through a nomination.
Celebrating their contributions
Cynthia Stotz and a representative from the City of Ottawa will be formally presented with their Roger Cyr Awards during RailCAN26, at the Railway Association of Canada’s annual awards ceremony in Ottawa on November 3rd.
Congratulations to Cynthia and the City of Ottawa, and thank you to all of this year’s nominees for helping advance rail safety education and awareness in communities across Canada.
Rail safety is a shared responsibility. By working together, we can help prevent incidents, injuries and fatalities around railway tracks and crossings.
