Roadside memorial sign for Leanne Holland Brown unveiled in Waterloo

Leanne Holland Brown continues to be remembered as a titan of empathy, wisdom and positivity, whose life was cut short by an impaired driver when she was struck and killed while walking on the sidewalk outside of a Waterloo school in 2019.

Now, seven years later, a roadside memorial sign has been installed in her honour at the site of the crash.

“This sign will stand as a lasting tribute to Leanne and a reminder that every decision to drive impaired can change and destroy lives,” said Leanne’s husband, Kenneth Brown.

A solemn ceremony was held Friday outside MacGregor Public School on Central St. to unveil the MADD Canada memorial sign with Leanne’s family and friends in attendance, along with local officials and dignitaries.

The sign is the first of its kind in Waterloo Region and it was championed by Kenneth Brown, who wanted to pay homage to Leanne’s memory.

He called it a public expression of private sorrow.

“We cannot change what happened to Leanne, we cannot bring her back. But we can refuse to let her death become another statistic,” Kenneth said. “We can remember her, speak about the consequences of impaired driving, and make choices that protect one another.”

Mark Crowell, Chief of the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS), said emergency responders far too often see the devastating impacts of impaired driving.

He wasn’t just speaking as the region’s police chief, but also as someone who called Leanne a friend.

“We all carry memories of her kindness and the positive impact that she had on all those around her,” said Crowell. “We know that her bright spirit will never be forgotten.”

Crowell said collisions involving alcohol and/or drugs remain the leading cause of death in Canada.

Locally, WRPS laid 967 impaired driving charges in 2025, which was an 18 per cent increase from 2024.

MADD Canada Chief Operating Officer, Dawn Regan, called it a serious epidemic in our country and that memorial tributes like roadside signs are vital for educating the public and preventing similar tragedies.

“The consequences are real, this was a person who deserved to live her life with her family… and it was ripped away from her,” Regan told CityNews Kitchener. “People’s lives are forever changed, it’s never back to normal. It is a long-term, forever grief. We want to do all we can to prevent that grief for the next person.”

Leanne Holland Brown was the Dean of Students at Wilfrid Laurier University when she was killed and a memorial fund was established in her honour. She was 43-years-old.

The involved driver, Ronald Rees of Cambridge, plead guilty to impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death. He received a six-year sentence in June of 2020, which worked out to four-and-a-half years behind bars with time served factored in.

“No sentence is ever going to be long enough for impaired driving,” said Regan.

Kenneth Brown shared a similar sentiment while speaking with media.

“My perspective obviously is a bit biased, but yes, I think we should be trying to enforce tougher penalties in cases like this, especially when it’s causing death.”

Regan said MADD Canada continues to advocate for all levels of government to dedicate resources to make Canada’s roads safer for everyone. In Ontario, they want to see immediate roadside prohibition implemented.

MADD Canada will be hosting a ceremony Saturday for a provincial monument in Brampton that honours 175 victims of impaired driving. This year, 11 new names were added, including Leanne Holland Brown.