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.

It is with great enthusiasm that the entire Samuel De Champlain Bridge team announces that the bridge’s multipurpose path welcomed its millionth user last spring! This important milestone is a testament to the success and growing popularity of our infrastructure, which contributes day after day to the active mobility, health and well-being of the citizens of the greater Montreal area.

The Samuel De Champlain Bridge multipurpose path is the first path spanning the St. Lawrence River to be opened and maintained year-round and that has been the case since its opening on December 23, 2019. Two variable message signs (VMS) on either side of its 3.4 km inform users of crossing conditions, and, with its 4 lookouts, the path is also widely favored by pedestrians with a share of 43% of the 241,000 users in 2024! This means that in addition to completing the offer of possible routes for through traffic between the South Shore and the Island of Montreal, it is also a destination of choice to enjoy the beautiful views of the city and the river.

Reaching the one million user mark demonstrates the extent to which the path meets a real need and is a lasting part of our travel and leisure habits. And this is just the beginning, since the path will be even better connected with the surrounding communities by the end of 2025 with an additional path being built by The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI) in Brossard, but also with other upcoming projects on the Montreal side, including the redevelopment of the Bonaventure Expressway into an urban boulevard. A real connection to downtown Montreal!

To mark this milestone, the Sûreté du Québec has planned a bicycle theft prevention activity that will take place on Sunday, July 20 starting at 1:00 p.m. at the entrance to the multipurpose path on Nuns’ Island. For the occasion, a free bicycle engraving service will be offered, which will allow it to be registered in the secure Garage 529 database, known for facilitating the identification of stolen bicycles. We encourage you all to participate in this activity or even just to go and say hello to our partners at the SQ.

Thank you for being part of this great adventure and, above all, happy travel to everyone!

Looking forward to seeing you on the path,

As part of a joint initiative by the Sûreté du Québec and the Longueuil Agglomeration Police Department (SPAL), a bike theft prevention event will be held on Saturday, July 20, 2025, from 1:00pm. to 4:00 p.m., at the entrance to the Samuel De Champlain Bridge bike path, Ile des soeurs side.

Cyclists are invited to take part in this free bike engraving and registration session with Garage 529, a secure database that helps deter theft and recover stolen bikes. No registration is required.

This simple action can significantly reduce the risk of theft and improve recovery rates in the event of loss.

For more information, please contact your local police department.

As part of a joint initiative by the Sûreté du Québec and the Longueuil Agglomeration Police Department (SPAL), a bike theft prevention event will be held on Saturday, July 12, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the entrance to the Samuel De Champlain Bridge bike path, Brossard side.

Cyclists are invited to take part in this free bike engraving and registration session with Garage 529, a secure database that helps deter theft and recover stolen bikes. No registration is required.

This simple action can significantly reduce the risk of theft and improve recovery rates in the event of loss.

For more information, please contact your local police department.

As you know, noise barrier wall enhancements were carried out in December 2023 along Highway A-15 South, as part of efforts to improve the sound environment in your area.

We would like to inform you that the 2024 noise performance results are now available online.

Overall, the results show a significant improvement in the sound environment throughout the area, with only one exceedance observed—remaining below the threshold of auditory perception.

Analyses and discussions are currently underway to explore potential interventions. Further details will be shared in the fall.

The detailed results are presented in the following documents:

As you know, noise barrier wall enhancements were carried out in December 2023 along Highway A-15 South, as part of efforts to improve the sound environment in your area.

Overall, the results are partially in line with the established noise criteria, with some exceedances remaining below the threshold of auditory perception, except for one more significant exceedance.

Measures will be implemented to address this exceedance. Further details will be shared in the fall.

The detailed noise performance results are presented in the documents below: