The 2018 Yonge Street Van Attack

On the afternoon of April 23, 2018, a rented van was deliberately driven onto sidewalks along Yonge Street in the North York City Centre area, from around Finch Avenue south toward Sheppard Avenue, striking pedestrians over several blocks. Ten people were killed at the scene or in hospital in the immediate aftermath, with an eleventh victim dying of her injuries that October, bringing the confirmed death toll to eleven; sixteen others were injured. Most of those killed were women. The driver, a 25-year-old man, was arrested without incident minutes later after an encounter with a Toronto police officer that was widely noted for its restraint.

Trial and sentencing

At trial, Ontario Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy heard a judge-alone case in which the defence argued the driver should be found not criminally responsible owing to autism spectrum disorder; the Crown and the court rejected that position. On March 3, 2021, he was found guilty of ten counts of first-degree murder and sixteen counts of attempted murder, and on June 13, 2022, was sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years.

Response and memorial

In the immediate aftermath, first responders and bystanders were credited with helping victims before paramedics arrived; in April 2025 the City unveiled "Heroes' Way" street signage near the scene honouring those who assisted. Annual commemorations have centred on the Mel Lastman Square reflection pool, where family members and community members have gathered to float small lit paper boats. City Council has approved beginning a design process for a permanent memorial at Olive Square Park, near Yonge and Finch, though as of the mid-2020s the project remained a multi-year undertaking.

Sources

• The Canadian Encyclopedia — 2018 Toronto Van Attack
• CBC News — Toronto van attacker sentenced to life in prison

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