Eight dead on Ontario roads, waterways in deadliest weekend of 2026

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) reported a tragic toll over the Civic Holiday long weekend, with eight people losing their lives on the province's roads and waterways. This makes it the deadliest long weekend of 2026 thus far, according to OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt.

The fatalities were split between road and marine incidents. Five individuals died in separate road crashes, while three others perished in marine accidents. Two of the boating deaths resulted from a canoe capsizing, and the third occurred in a powerboat collision. Schmidt noted that the OPP has not seen such a high number of fatalities on a single long weekend since the previous year.

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We haven’t seen these kinds of numbers since last year

During the busy holiday period, OPP officers were highly active, responding to more than 41,000 collisions province-wide this year and laying over 8,200 charges. These charges included nearly 4,000 speeding tickets, over 600 seatbelt infractions, 188 impaired driving charges, and 128 charges for failing to move over for emergency vehicles.

Schmidt referenced past long weekends with multiple fatalities, including Labour Day in 2025 and Thanksgiving weekend in 2025, to provide context. He urged the public to prioritize safety, encouraging drivers and boaters to make responsible decisions for themselves and those around them.

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Please think about your safety, other people around you and make safe decisions