A woman was struck and killed by a big rig truck on Monday morning while crossing the street in Montreal's Nuns' Island neighbourhood.

Montreal police (SPVM) report that the 53-foot truck was travelling on Place du Commerce south around 7:15 a.m. and stopped at a stop sign.

"When he started to head south on Place du Commerce, a pedestrian was crossing," said SPVM spokesperson Jean-Pierre Brabant. "The driver could not avoid the pedestrian, so the collision occurred."

Brabant said the pedestrian was crossing in front of a city bus that was letting passengers off, and the truck driver may not have seen her.

When first responders got to the scene, the 29-year-old woman was pronounced dead.

The 30-year-old driver of the rig was taken to the hospital and is being treated for shock.

A police perimeter had been set up at the scene, but it has since been lifted.