Lac-Megantic marks 9th anniversary of train disaster
The community of Lac-Mégantic is marking the ninth anniversary of the train disaster that killed 47 people and scarring its downtown on July 6, 2013.
In a note to its citizens, the Town of Lac-Mégantic says it will organize moments to remember the difficult moments caused by the disaster and also to highlight all the progress made since.
Starting at 8 a.m., as in previous years, the town's flags have been flown at half-mast. The municipality's elected officials laid a wreath of flowers at the memorial, in the presence of residents.
A minute of silence was to be held in memory of the 47 victims and the bereaved families.
A religious ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. at the Sainte-Agnès church, presided by Fr. Francis Morency. Afterwards, flowers will be laid near the granite book in front of the church, where the names of the 47 victims are inscribed.
At noon, the bells of Sainte-Agnès church will ring 47 times in tribute to the victims. During this moment of recollection, traffic will be stopped in the vicinity to create calm and serenity.
The Town of Lac-Mégantic has obtained confirmation from Canadian Pacific that no trains will be running on the tracks on July 6.
The mayor of Lac-Mégantic, Julie Morin, says that the town's residents are forever marked by the events of July 6, 2013, which affected all parts of the community. She believes that the day of commemoration allows them to pause and remember the missing, the lost landmarks, and also the steps taken to recover from the disaster.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement on Wednesday in which he joined the people of Lac-Mégantic and all Canadians in paying tribute to the victims of the disaster. He noted that it was the deadliest train accident in modern Canadian history.
Quebec Premier François Legault posted a message on Twitter.
"9 years ago, Quebec experienced a tragedy. We must remember, today, the 47 victims who perished in Lac-Mégantic on July 6, 2013. I offer my most sincere condolences to the loved ones of the deceased. My thoughts are with all the people of Megantic," wrote Legault.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 6, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Suspect sought after fatal slashing in downtown Toronto
Police are searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation after a man was slashed in downtown Toronto on Sunday.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.