Hydro Quebec substation opened, park honouring Irish victims coming
Hydro-Quebec opened a new substation on Bridge Street and will commemorate the thousands of Irish immigrants who died in Montreal in the 1800s.
The state-owned company spend several years building the new substation near the entrance of the Victoria Bridge.
Work will soon begin on transforming part of the area around the "Black Rock" Montreal Irish monument into a park.
The park's design was unveiled when the new substation was announced.
The monument was erected in 1859 by construction workers in memory of the 6,000 or so Irish migrants who died of typhus as they tried to start a new life in Canada.
"The space will remember not only the 6,000 Irish that passed away and were buried in this spot but those Montrealers who came and who offered us care and comfort; these caregivers," said Montreal Irish Monument Park Foundation director Fergus Keyes.
"Many of these caregivers, including John Mills, the mayor of Montreal in 1847, came to help the Irish, caught typhus from the Irish. The Irish were very sick and [he] gave up his own life, dying in 1847."
John Easton Mills (1796-1847) was a fur merchant and banker before becoming mayor of Montreal from 1846 to 1847. He helped finance the construction of St. Patrick's Basilica on Rene-Levesque Boulevard.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Sparks fly as MPs question minister on pension implications of proposed election date change
Sparks flew at a parliamentary committee Thursday as MPs questioned Canada's democratic institutions minister about a widely opposed provision in electoral reform legislation that seeks to delay the next fixed election date by one week.
'There is no electricity': Canadian travellers in Cuba urge caution in hurricane's wake
Cuba's power grid was knocked out by Hurricane Rafael, which ripped across the country as a Category 3 storm. In western Cuba, it toppled buildings and pushed 50,000 people to find shelter elsewhere. Cubans were already enduring rolling blackouts due to energy shortages.
Three charged in One Direction singer Liam Payne's death
Three people have been charged in relation to One Direction singer Liam Payne's death in a fall from his Buenos Aires hotel balcony last month, Argentine authorities said on Thursday.
RCMP already 'on high alert' for potential wave of migrants after Trump election
Canada's federal police force has been preparing for months on a contingency plan for a potential massive influx of migrants across the border following Trump's promise of 'mass deportations' of millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
'There was no stopping this baby from coming': Woman gives birth while aboard Newfoundland ferry
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
Volkswagen models recalled for airbag safety precaution
Recall notices have been issued for some Volkswagen models from 2006 to 2019 for airbag safety issues.
Canmore wildlife and landscape defender Karsten Heuer dies peacefully at 56
Canmore conservationist Karsten Heuer, who was a biologist, park ranger, author and activist, has died.
America votes: How celebrities are reacting to Trump's decisive victory
Celebrities from Hulk Hogan to Ariana Grande are sharing their reactions to the U.S. election, which will see Donald Trump return to the White House.
3 Winnipeg police officers charged with breach of trust, theft
Three members of the Winnipeg Police Service have been charged with breach of trust, obstruction of justice and theft following a lengthy investigation