Good neighbourhood security has two parts: neighbours who notice and report what looks wrong, and homes whose doors and windows hold up when someone tries them. What matters most also depends on the type of street you live on. An older home near downtown, a newer subdivision house in Kanata, Barrhaven or Orleans, a townhouse complex and a rural property in Carp or Greely each have different weak spots.

Questions about the locks on your own home? Call (613) 707-4884.

Working Together as a Street

The Ottawa Police Service describes Neighbourhood Watch as a free program that helps neighbours watch out for each other. Participants learn how to recognize and report suspicious activity, how to make homes less attractive to thieves, and about Operation Identification, an engraving program for valuables. According to the Ottawa Police Neighbourhood Watch page, your local Community Police Centre can tell you whether a group already exists in your area and help you start one.

Even without a formal group, a few habits make a real difference:

  • Swap phone numbers with the neighbours on either side and across the street.
  • Let them know when you will be away, and offer to do the same for them.
  • Collect each other's packages and flyers so no doorstep advertises an empty house.
  • Call 911 for a crime in progress or an emergency; for non-emergencies, the Ottawa Police Service lists 613-236-1222.

Older Homes and Inner Neighbourhoods

Older Ottawa houses often still have original wood doors and frames, decorative glass beside or in the door, and back doors that open onto lanes or shared yards. Common issues:

  • Door frames that have dried, split or been repaired many times, so the strike plate has little to grip.
  • Glass within arm's reach of a thumb turn.
  • Rear and basement doors that are weaker than the front door.

Reinforcing the frame and strike is usually the first job here; see door frame reinforcement.

Suburban Subdivisions

Newer homes in the suburbs tend to have sound frames but basic builder-grade hardware, attached garages and sliding patio doors facing private back yards. Focus on:

  • Locking the door from the garage into the house, and never leaving the opener in a car parked on the driveway.
  • Securing patio doors with a bar or pin and checking they cannot be lifted out of the track.
  • Rekeying after you move in, since builders, trades and previous owners may still have keys.

Townhouses and Condo Complexes

In shared buildings, your security also depends on common doors. Report entrance doors that do not close and latch, never prop or hold doors for people you do not know, and keep your storage locker and mailbox locked. Inside your unit, the entry door still deserves a solid deadbolt. Condo owners should check with the corporation or property manager before changing hardware on a door the building controls.

Rural and Semi-Rural Properties

On larger lots with long driveways, nobody may notice activity for hours. Secure sheds, barns and detached garages with quality padlocks or deadbolts, lock tools and ladders away, add motion lighting along the driveway, and consider a driveway alert. A neighbour who checks the property during long absences is especially valuable.

Next Step

For a broader checklist of what to fix first at home, read our 10 home security tips for Ottawa homeowners. For hands-on help with locks, rekeying or deadbolts, see our residential locksmith page or call (613) 707-4884.