The City is adding a memorial to Olive Square Park to honour and remember the victims of the tragedy that took place on Yonge Street on April 23, 2018. The design will be selected through a two-stage design competition and shaped through close collaboration with families, survivors and the broader community.
The timeline is subject to change.
Sign up for or unsubscribe from updates related to the New Memorial at Olive Square Park.
The City is selecting a design team for the memorial through a two-stage process. In Stage 1, design teams submit their qualifications and up to four are shortlisted. In Stage 2, these teams create and present their designs to a jury and the community. Families, survivors and community members will have opportunities to provide feedback, which will help inform the jury’s selection of the final design team.
On April 23, 2018, a tragedy on Yonge Street in North York claimed the lives of 11 people and injured 15 others. In the years that followed, Olive Square Park, located near the site of the tragedy, became a natural gathering place for people to grieve, remember and express their sympathies.
Recognizing the significance of the park to the community, City Council approved Olive Square Park in April 2025 as the location for a permanent memorial to honour and remember the victims. The memorial will be developed through a design competition. Families have shared a vision for a memorial that celebrates the lives of those lost and serves as a symbol of hope, reflecting the strength and resilience of the North York community.
While the design competition was being planned, the City took steps to improve the park in the interim. In fall 2025, a new plaque and updated seating area were installed in the park, and lighting repairs were completed.
The planning process builds on initial memorial consultation carried out with survivors and families between 2019 and 2021, and is being shaped in close collaboration with families, survivors and those most affected.