Montreal police say two children were taken to a hospital with minor injuries after being hit by a car early Monday in Montreal West.
Police spokesperson Anne-Sophie Simard said the collision occurred at 7:50 a.m. at the intersection of Westminster Ave. and Ainslie Rd. — which is near a level train crossing and that is heavily used by cars, trains and pedestrians.
The driver, a 36-year-old woman, was heading south on Westminster Ave. and came to the obligatory full stop, Simard said.
The two children, ages 12 and 13, were then hit as the woman began driving again. The contact occurred at a low speed, according to Simard.
The two children were evaluated at the scene by Urgences-santé and then taken to a hospital as a preventive measure, she added. No other injuries were reported.
The incident is being treated as an accident by police.
Royal West Academy sent a letter to parents Monday morning, confirming the two children are students at the high school.
“Luckily, the students were not seriously injured, but the incident underscored the fact that we need to act with increased vigilance to ensure that all of our students can travel to school safely,” the school’s administration wrote.
“Over 400 Royal West students are estimated to cross this intersection each day on their way to and from school. It is an extremely busy intersection during rush hour, and the danger is compounded by the fact that it is less than 200 metres away from a level train crossing.
“We want our community to know that we will continue working with the parents who have been spearheading a petition and campaign to help ensure that this intersection is safe.”
Last fall, parents launched a petition to have crossing guards installed at intersections — including the one at Westminster Ave. and Ainslie Rd. — considered dangerous that are near Quebec high schools. The petition came after a student was struck on the crosswalk on his way to school in October 2024.
It has been sponsored by Liberal MNA Désirée McGraw. Her Notre-Dame-de-Grâce riding comprises Montreal West and part of the Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough. As of Monday evening, the petition has more than 2,600 signatures.
The Town of Montreal West also issued a brief statement on its Facebook page Monday, saying it wanted to “remind all road users of the importance of staying vigilant at all times when driving.”
Last October, the town’s plans to reconfigure traffic at the train crossing came to a standstill after it was unable to find a company willing to carry out the work. The pilot project to overhaul the section failed to draw any bidders last summer.
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— with files from Andy Riga and Susan Schwartz