The Ontario government is proposing changes to parking outside child-care facilities after a driver was charged in a fatal crash into a Richmond Hill daycare on Wednesday.
A man in his 70s who was arrested outside the First Roots Early Education Academy has been charged with one count of dangerous operation causing death and two counts of dangerous operation causing bodily harm.
A one and a half-year-old boy was killed and six other children injured after a vehicle drove into the daycare around 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Two children remain in critical condition and the other victims had non-life-threatening injuries as of Thursday, according to police.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday night, Education Minister Paul Calandra said the government is proposing that operators and municipalities must prevent the use of parking spaces immediately adjacent to entryways, windows and exterior walls of classrooms or playgrounds at child-care facilities.
Calandra said child-care facilities operating out of private homes would be exceptions.
He said he has directed his ministry to work with service managers, inspectors and service providers to identify “vulnerabilities” and take immediate action ahead of upcoming legislative changes.
“Our government will make any necessary legislative or regulatory amendments to municipal or landlord restrictions that currently prevent the installation of protective barriers, such as bollards, planters, elevated curbs and other physical infrastructure, to protect children and workers in these settings,” Calandra said.
Police have said there were 96 children in the building at the time of the crash.
Three adult staff members were also hurt.
Investigators said Wednesday they do not believe the crash was intentional, but have not said what triggered the incident during the afternoon pickup time.
A child is dead, several others are injured and a man in his 70s is in custody after a vehicle drove into a daycare in Richmond Hill, Ont., on Wednesday, police said at a news conference. Police say the investigation is ongoing, but they don’t believe it was a deliberate act.
Police are not sharing the name of the suspect “to protect any victims or witnesses involved in this incident,” a York Regional Police spokesperson said in an emailed statement to The Canadian Press.
The accused was granted bail at a court hearing Thursday morning. His bail conditions include an order that he not drive any motor vehicle.
A full-size Hyundai electric vehicle was pulled from the building and loaded onto a tow truck on Wednesday evening, and showed little visible damage aside from a dangling licence plate.
Community ‘devastated’ after fatal crash
On Thursday morning, the large window was boarded up with plywood and other pieces of lumber.
Just beneath it, a collection of stuffed animals sat facing the parking lot. A sign that read “please slow down” remained mounted on the wall next to the crash site.
Emirson Bekirovski said his daily morning routine includes dropping off his daughter at the daycare. But on Thursday, he dropped off flowers instead of his four-year-old.
While his daughter, who has attended the centre since she was 18 months old, is safe and unharmed, he says it’s been traumatizing to go through the experience as a parent.
Bekirovski said his wife picked up their daughter as soon as they received an urgent message on Wednesday afternoon.
But they didn’t know what had happened until she arrived at the scene and saw several police cars and helicopters in the area.
“We’re pretty traumatized at the fact this happened so close to home. This is our home,” he said. “We feel the pain the families are going through.”
Ruth Brainis, a local resident and mother of two small children, said she was “devastated” and sick to her stomach when she heard of the crash.
“When it’s children, it hits really hard,” she said, as she came to lay flowers at the site on Thursday morning. “I can’t imagine the suffering these poor parents are going through. I don’t wish it on anybody.”
Parents were very shaken up in the chaos after the crash, Richmond Hill Mayor David West said on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning Thursday.
West said the city is in mourning after the incident, and he will speak to victims’ families and other parents in the days ahead.
“To imagine the situation that these people are in is just unthinkable, even today after this has had some time to sink in,” he said.
“We are a strong community. We will stand together and do what we need to help everyone get through this.”
The car crashed into the daycare from the parking lot at the back of the building, West said. Police say the investigation is still ongoing.
Police chief extends condolences to family that lost child
In a statement on Thursday, York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween extended his condolences on behalf of the police service to the family of the toddler killed.
“As a father, I can’t imagine the pain being felt by these young families,” he said.
“At the time of the collision, the child-care centre was open, with children and employees inside. Multiple people in various rooms of the building sustained injuries,” he said.
“Our thoughts are with all of those injured and impacted by this incident,” he said. “We know the effects from this heartbreaking and traumatic event will be felt across our region.”
MacSween said police are continuing to determine the sequence of events and are working with victim services to provide support to everyone involved, including officers, paramedics and firefighters who attended the scene.
Daycare ‘in state of shock’ following crash
The daycare said it is “in a state of shock” following the crash, in a statement Thursday.
“We are devastated and still processing what happened, but our foremost and only priority is supporting our families and staff members.”
The daycare thanked emergency personnel who helped in the aftermath of the crash and thanked the public for its support and sympathy. It asked for privacy for its community in “this unimaginably difficult time.”
