News

Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC), the City of Montreal, the Signature on the Saint Lawrence Group (SSLG) and the family of Jolène Riendeau inaugurated a memorial in memory of Jolène Riendeau on November 29, 2025.

Located on the Verdun/Sud-Ouest waterfront lookout beneath the Île-des-Sœurs Bridge, this monument fulfills HICC’s promise to Jolène Riendeau’s family as part of the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor Project. This monument is the result of a collective effort that also includes SSLG and the City of Montreal, and provides a space for the community to remember and reflect. The disappearance of Jolène Riendeau at the age of 10 in 1999 shocked the entire province of Quebec, as did the discovery of her body 12 years later under the original Île-des-Soeurs Bridge.

Designed by artist and sculptor Jacques Bénard in close collaboration with the family and various partners, the monument consists of two granite blocks and is adorned with a swarm of butterflies, a symbol dear to Jolène Riendeau.

Quotes

“This monument in memory of Jolène Riendeau embodies the commitment of the Government of Canada and its partners to pool their resources and expertise in order to provide this place of remembrance for the benefit of communities. Being part of a community means acting together, supporting one another, and participating in the duty of remembrance.”

Shawn Hibbard, Director General, Major Bridges and Projects, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

“The monument we are inaugurating today embodies a clear message: one of vigilance, protection, and respect for the fundamental values that unite us. It reminds us that every life matters and that it is our duty to never forget.”

Céline-Audrey Beauregard, Verdun borough mayor

“Protecting children is everyone’s responsibility. It is a shared moral duty. Watch, report, prevent, and refuse to remain silent. No child should be invisible, no concern ignored. This memorial is not only a place of remembrance, it is a starting point. By honoring Jolène’s memory, we affirm our collective responsibility to do better, to be vigilant, and to act together.”

Marie-Andrée Leclaire, Cold Cases Media, Jolène Riendeau’s family representative

Quick Facts

• Jolène Riendeau was 10 years old when she disappeared in 1999. Her body was found in 2011 under the original Île-des-Sœurs bridge, confirming a tragedy that shocked Quebec.
• The result of close collaboration with the family, the memorial includes engravings of butterflies, an emblem dear to Jolène Riendeau.
• The result of a joint effort between HICC, SSLG, the City of Montreal, and the family, the monument in memory of Jolène Riendeau is a symbol of a community that remembers.