Ghost bike ceremony remembers cyclist Justine Charland St-Amour

Around 100 people gathered Friday morning to rememberJustineCharland St-Amour, a 24-year-oldcyclist who was fatally struck by a truck on Aug. 22at the intersection ofd'IbervilleStreet andRosemontBoulevard.

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A white "ghost bike" wasinstalled at the intersection during the ceremony, which was attended bySt-Amour's family and relatives of other cyclists killed in recent incidents.

Ghost bikes are bicycles that are painted white and placedat the scene of fatal or near-fatal collisions between cyclists and motorized vehicles.

CharlenBerry, one of St-Amour's relatives,saidthe day shewas killedwas the worst day of her life.

"You never think it will happen to you," she said.

Berry called for political action to make the streetssafer for cyclists.

"I wish politicians would take the ball and run with it go, move, do something," she said.

That feeling was echoed by Guy Brunotte, whose42-year-old son Christian was killed by a truck while cycling on Wellington Street.

"We can do more. Simple things. And people wouldn't get hurt," he said.

"I think about my son and Justine. It's very sad."

Ghost bikes serve as memorials, reminders

Gabrielle Anctil, who helped organize theceremony, said this is the sixth ghost bike that's beenplaced around Montreal in the last three years.

"Every time I hope it's the last," she said.

She said the bike will stand as both a tribute to St-Amourand a reminder to drivers of the need to share the road with cyclist.

"Drivers see it, and maybe it reminds them to leave some room for cyclists," she said.

Anctilwas critical of the claim by Montreal police that it will be difficultto enforce a new law that requires drivers to keep1.5 metres between their vehicles and cyclists.

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"There's obviously a period of adjustment, but there are surely ways to enforce this rule," she said.

That opinion is shared by Quebec Transport Minister Laurent Lessard, who on Friday said he was working with mayors around Quebec to improve road safety for cyclists.