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
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Spike in 'violent rhetoric' since Oct. 7 attack from 'extremist actors,' CSIS warns
The Israel-Hamas war has led to a spike in 'violent rhetoric' from 'extremist actors' that could prompt some in Canada to turn to violence, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warns.
Russia announces nuclear weapon drills after angry exchange with senior Western officials
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Israeli army tells Palestinians to evacuate parts of Gaza's Rafah ahead of an expected assault
The Israeli army ordered some 100,000 Palestinians on Monday to begin evacuating from the southern city of Rafah, signaling that a long-promised ground invasion there could be imminent and further complicating efforts to broker a cease-fire in Gaza.