Parents demand safer school zones in Montreal
Parents and municipal leaders are calling on the Quebec government to spare some money from the upcoming budget for school zone safety, as advocates warn of significant risks to children at several schools.
“We see, every day, dangerous situations for the children going on foot or on a bike, and we want to demonstrate so that the government helps us to have better security,” said Celine Odier, a parent and member of the Élan Primary School Safety Community.
She spoke to CTV News at the corner of Sherbrooke St. and de Lorimier Boulevard alongside dozens of other parents and children, chanting and waving signs with slogans including “pay attention to our children!” and “respect us, slow down, pay attention.”
It was one of several demonstrations held across Quebec Wednesday morning. Elsewhere in Montreal, organizer Jean-Francois Gagne raised concerns about his kids’ route to class across a major artery: Leger Boulevard.
“People are going at 60 or 70 kilometres (per hour),” said Gagne, founder of the Association pour la mobilité sécuritaire de Montréal-Nord. “My kids are crossing every day.”
Blocks away, in January, an 18-year-old driver lost control of their SUV while heading east on Leger Boulevard. The vehicle caught fire after crashing into a tree, and the teen driver died. Police are still investigating the circumstances of the incident, but speed may have been a contributing factor.
Protesters demand safer school zones during a demonstration in Montreal on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (CTV News)
While that part of Leger does not run through a school zone, a limited study from the CAA found a high rate of speeding in one Montreal school zone.
CAA surveyors recorded speeds of motorists driving through a school zone surrounding École Saint-Arsènet in Montreal’s Petite-Patrie neighbourhood over two days in October.
The agency says 96 per cent of drivers exceeded the 30 km/h speed limit, with an average speed of 40 km/h.
Months after that study, seven-year-old Ukrainian refugee Mariia Legenkovska was struck and killed on her way to school in the Ville-Marie borough. Fleeing the Russian invasion in Ukraine, she had been in Montreal for just two months.
Her death drew demands for action from community members and advocates. The city installed plastic bollards at the intersection where she was struck in an effort to slow traffic going through.
It’s one of several traffic-calming measures available to make roads safer for pedestrians, advocates say. Other options include concrete barriers, wider sidewalks, tree-lined curbs, designated bike and bus lanes, and narrower streets.
All of those options come with installation costs — something the province could account for in its upcoming budget, which the CAQ is expected to on March 21.
“Cities need more money to change this paradigm of cars everywhere,” said Gagne.
Gagne says about 40 municipalities and major cities, including Montreal, have expressed support for the province to pitch in.
Patrick Lemieux, spokesperson for the Union of Quebec Municipalities, says the union hasn’t kept up a tally of all the councils which have signed on, but confirmed that dozens have.
In February, the union passed a motion recognizing that pedestrian safety is a “province-wide problem.”
Saint-Laurent Borough Mayor Alan DeSousa says the province can help in several ways, not just financially.
“Above and beyond what the city can do, there’s also a need for provincial involvement," he said during a Wednesday press conference.
"It affects the Highway Code, it affects a variety of different measures, and some of these measures can be done with money, but also legislative changes."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.