Saint-Tite Festival Vehicle Strike: 6 Hurt in Quebec

Six people were struck by a vehicle early Saturday morning at the Festival Western de Saint-Tite in Quebec. Provincial police say the Saint-Tite festival vehicle hit pedestrians on Boulevard St-Joseph at about 4:30 a.m. local time, and the driver fled the scene before being arrested in Quebec City roughly an hour later.

The injured are two women, both 18 years old, and four men aged 17 to 21, according to reporting by CTV News, CBC and CP24. All six were transported to hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a Facebook post that seven people had been struck by the car, and the difference between the figures had not been explained by late Saturday.

The driver, a man in his 20s, was arrested after police located the Saint-Tite festival vehicle at about 5:30 a.m. in Quebec City, roughly 200 kilometres east of Saint-Tite, the Mauricie region town hosting the 10-day western festival's final weekend. "The suspect fled and his vehicle was reportedly located in Quebec City," said Sergeant Marc Tessier of the Surete du Quebec, according to Le Journal de Montreal.

Police have not said whether the act was deliberate. CBC and CTV News reported, citing the Surete du Quebec, that investigators did not know whether the victims had argued with the driver before the Saint-Tite festival vehicle drove into the crowd. Preliminary findings suggested the incident was not premeditated, and police ruled out alcohol as a factor. The driver continued to be interviewed by investigators through Saturday.

Festival continued with increased police presence

Despite the violence, the Festival Western de Saint-Tite went ahead with its Saturday programming, though several streets around the site were closed to vehicle traffic. The festival's director told CTV News the event would continue as scheduled.

In a statement provided to the outlet, the director described the crash as an isolated incident beyond the organizers' control, offered sympathy to those involved and their families, and said the safety of festivalgoers, volunteers and staff remained the top priority. The director added that organizers were doing everything possible to keep people safe at what the festival presents as a celebratory event.

The Festival Western de Saint-Tite runs for 10 days and draws crowds to the region for country music concerts, professional rodeos and western-themed activities. This year's edition was in its final weekend when the crash occurred. For more Quebec news, see the Canadian News topic page.

Quebec Premier Christine Frechette visited the festival on Saturday afternoon, meeting organizers and thanking police and first responders. She said the injured people were expected to recover. In a Facebook post sharing photos from the visit, she described the Mauricie as a place where people stand together, shake hands and keep their traditions alive, and said the desire to gather remained strong despite what happened.

Carney also thanked law enforcement and first responders in his post, saying they had acted quickly to help the injured and keep people safe. He said the community was understandably shaken by the incident.

Election weekend interrupted

The crash landed on a politically charged weekend in Quebec. Three provincial party leaders were expected to attend the festival on Saturday, including Frechette and St-Pierre Plamondon, and the province is in the middle of an election campaign. Frechette, who leads the Coalition Avenir Quebec, used her visit to address the morning's events rather than campaign stops.

Parti Quebecois leader Pierre St-Pierre Plamondon also issued condolences, calling it a distressing scene. On X, he thanked the first responders who acted quickly and said Quebecers should be able to gather and celebrate safely. For more on Carney's week on the international stage, see our report on the Macron-Carney summit.

Provincial police maintained a security perimeter around the site through Saturday evening while investigators worked. No charges had been publicly announced as of Saturday night.

For video coverage of the investigation, see reporting from Global News and details compiled by People.