Laval bus crash: PM Trudeau meets with grieving families at vigil

A day after the tragic bus crash in Laval, Quebec that ended up taking the lives of two four-year-olds, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau travelled to the church where a vigil has been set up to meet the grieving members of the community in person.

“The unthinkable happened yesterday, when two young lives were cut short and many more were changed forever. Today in Laval, we expressed our support for everyone affected and thanked the first responders,” PM Trudeau stated on Twitter.

“We are here for you – today, tomorrow, and in the days and weeks ahead,” the Prime Minister continued.

The unthinkable happened yesterday, when two young lives were cut short and many more were changed forever. Today in Laval, we expressed our support for everyone affected and thanked the first responders. We are here for you – today, tomorrow, and in the days and weeks ahead. pic.twitter.com/4oTgiSxxeK

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 10, 2023

PM Trudeau came to Église Sainte-Rose-de-Lima, the church where community members gathered Wednesday to extend support after the incident.

Alongside PM Trudeau, Stéphane Boyer, the mayor of the city, joined the gathering at the church in laying the flowers and observing a moment of silence for those affected by the accident that took the lives of two children and injured several others.

Soon after parents dropped off their kids on Wednesday morning at the Garderie éducative Sainte-Rose, just north of Montreal, at around 8:30 am a city bus crashed into the child-care facility sending many of the kids to the hospital, one of which succumbed to injuries at the hospital while the other was pronounced dead at the scene, according to media reports.

The city bus driver, identified as 51-year-old Laval resident Pierre Ny St-Amand, was reportedly arrested at the scene of the accident and has since been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and four counts of assault with a weapon causing bodily harm.

There has been no reported link between the bus driver and the daycare, according to Laval police.