Kids at Montreal daycare allegedly filmed on neighbour's surveillance camera

Parents and educators at a daycare in Montreal's Outremont borough are furious. They say a neighbour is filming their children in the daycare's private backyard without consent.

Daycare educators first noticed the surveillance camera in August. The camera is installed on the second floor of a neighbour's home.

Educators say it points directly into the backyard of CPE Le Pitchounet.

They even took a photo of a sign in the neighbour's backyard, which says there is a surveillance camera.

The sign has since been removed.

"I was super confused and very upset that my children's privacy was being violated, and now the teachers don't want to take the kids out to that backyard, so we're losing outdoor play hours, which my children have a right to," said parent Jessica Watts.

The camera was allegedly installed after the daycare was granted unlimited access to the backyard.

The borough rezoned the backyard space in August to allow children to play outside whenever they want.

Before that, the daycare was only allowed to use the space for one hour daily.

CPE Le Pitchounet has unlimited access to the backyard (photo: Olivia O'Malley / CTV News Montreal)

CPE Le Pitchounet's director says days after the borough's decision came out, four neighbours filed a request for an injunction to have the hours reduced.

In court documents obtained by CTV News, there are photos of young children and educators playing in the backyard.

Daycare staff say they believe the neighbour took the pictures using the surveillance camera.

Educators are now uncomfortable taking the children to play outside, and parents are furious.

"My kid started when she was 18 months old. She wasn't walking that much. It's not like she can crawl to the park. It's really the only chance they get to go outside to enjoy the fresh air, the sun," another parent who preferred to stay anonymous told CTV News.

The public daycare is now hiring lawyers out of its limited budget. They sent a formal letter to the person with the camera, demanding it be taken down.

The camera was still up as of Friday. Some parents say they are considering going to the police.

CTV News has spoken with the lawyer representing the neighbours, including the one who owns the camera. The lawyer said all his clients refuse to comment.