Construction holiday less deadly than 2025 on Quebec roads, but water tragedies mount

Quebec’s construction holiday was marked by a series of tragedies on both the province’s waterways and highways, with nine drownings and at least 18 road fatalities reported during the annual vacation period.

Drownings Raise Water Safety Concerns

Nine people drowned across Quebec during the two-week construction holiday, according to the Lifesaving Society.

“Over the past five years, we’ve averaged nine drownings during these two weeks,” said Raynald Hawkins, Executive Director of the Lifesaving Society Quebec. “This year, we can confirm the number is in line with that average.” One reason we see similar numbers year after year is the weather. When we have several weeks of beautiful, very warm weather, or a small heat wave, more people are on the water. That increases the likelihood of drowning incidents and helps explain these figures.”

More than half of the fatalities occurred in rivers and waterways with currents, highlighting the dangers posed by moving water during the busy summer season. Water safety advocates say currents can be difficult to detect from the surface and remain one of the leading hazards for swimmers, anglers and boaters.

“As of Aug. 3, 2026, the Lifesaving Society has recorded 48 suspected unofficial drownings, compared with 46 at the same time last year,” said Hawkins. “This year, we’re seeing more drownings in rivers than in lakes or swimming pools.”

The organization is urging residents to exercise caution around rivers and wear properly fitted lifejackets when participating in water activities.

“Summer isn’t over, the majority of drownings occur between May and September,” warned Hawkins. “If all Quebecers follow our water safety and boating safety advice, we hope to keep the number of drownings stable.”

Road Deaths Lower Than Last Year

At least 18 people were killed on Quebec roads during the construction holiday, according to the latest figures from the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ).

The Laurentides recorded the highest number of fatalities, with four deaths.

While every fatal collision represents a tragedy, this year’s road toll is in line with recent averages and significantly lower than during the 2025 construction holiday, when 38 people lost their lives in what became one of the deadliest holiday periods in recent years.

This year, a significant number of motorcyclists were involved in accidents, with six of the 15 collisions recorded being the cause, according to a preliminary analysis.

“The investigations carried out so far also demonstrate that, in all of these collisions, at least one human factor is involved,” the report states.

The main contributing factors to fatal collisions remain excessive or inappropriate speed, distraction, and impaired driving ability, the organizations reiterated.

“Behind every life lost on our roads, there are parents, relatives, friends and colleagues who must deal with a reality forever changed,” stressed Chief Inspector Jonathan Ménard, Director of the Sûreté du Québec’s Advisory and Support Directorate, in a press release.

“These tragedies remind us that road safety is a collective responsibility,” he added.

The SAAQ, the SQ and the ADPQ have asked users to adopt safe and responsible behaviours as many journeys are still expected to take place in the coming weeks.

Police continue to remind motorists to drive according to road conditions, avoid impaired and distracted driving, obey speed limits and plan for increased traffic during peak vacation periods.

The combined toll on Quebec’s roads and waterways serves as a reminder that summer recreation and travel continue to carry significant risks, particularly during one of the province’s busiest holiday periods.

—With files from The Canadian Press, first published in French and translated by CityNews