The Quebec coroner’s office is investigating the deaths of two women who were killed in two separate incidents on Montreal highways in the span of 24 hours.
The first incident happened last Friday morning. Mary-Jane Tulugak had been heading down Highway 520 on the shoulder lane in a wheelchair before she was struck.
Sûreté du Québec spokesperson Nicolas Scholtus said Tulugak died in hospital a few hours later.
Quebec provincial police say another another woman died after she was struck multiple times on Highway 20 around 1:20 a.m. Saturday. Nellie Niviaxie, 26, was declared dead at the scene.
Both women were mothers and they were staying at the Ullivik health centre in Dorval.
“We’re still waiting for the SPVM to give us the details of their inquiry to find out what were the reasons why they crossed there, why they chose that path,” said Steven Kelly, the interim director of community services at the centre, which is run by the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services.
“Our main focus right now has been more on serving the families here in the north, to make sure they receive grieving services and counselling.”
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Kelly said Tulugak had travelled to the centre for a minor surgery and was set to be released shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, Niviaxie had been at Ullivik accompanying another person from her community undergoing medical care.
Ullivik serves as a residence for the Inuit of Nunavik in northern Quebec who come south to receive specialized health care. It’s located near the airport, and next to Highway 520.
The Nunavik regional board of health and social services says clients are free to come and go as they please, and say it can’t force people to stay inside or monitor their activities.
“We want to make sure that everyone there understands the dangers of what can happen, and the safe routes to choose and the safe choices to make,” said Kelly.
Dr. Stanley Vollant, an Innu surgeon at Montreal’s Notre Dame hospital, says some who travel to Ullivik to get help may have trouble adapting to city life.
He says more solutions are needed to keep vulnerable people safe.
“Making more prevention at the centre, maybe having talks with the people who are serving alcohol, the bars in Dorval, to make sure those people go back safe to Ullivik and also making space for those who arrive back at Ullivik intoxicated,” he said.
Ian Lafrenière, Quebec’s minister responsible for Indigenous Affairs, offered his condolences to the families of the victims Tuesday.
“I am reassured by the follow-up that will be done directly with Ullivik and by the coroner’s investigation that was launched,” he said in a statement to Global News.
“I was also able to speak with the leadership of Air Inuit that are currently working on a solution so that the families can hold proper funerals.”
Police say don’t believe the two incidents are directly related and added that they are still investigating.
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