Charges dropped against construction company in Barrie, Ont. crash that killed 6 young adults
Charges against the company accused of criminal negligence in connection with an August 2022 collision that claimed the lives of six young adults in Barrie have been dropped.
On Monday, the Crown withdrew all charges against Condrain Group, citing there was no reasonable prospect of a conviction.
Condrain Group was charged with six counts of criminal negligence causing death after Barrie police accused the company of failing to properly secure the construction site along McKay Road after a car plunged into a deep concrete pit, killing its occupants - Curtis King, 22; River Wells, 23; Jason Ono-O'Connor, 22; Luke West, 22; Jersey Mitchell, 20; and Haley Marin, 21.
It's believed the group was on their way to a casino in Innisfil, south of Barrie, when the car they travelled in crashed into the massive hole in the centre of the closed road between Veterans Drive and County Road 27.
Police would come across the crash scene nearly 20 hours later.
- Download the CTV News app free to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
In a statement from the company issued by its lawyers, Henein Hutchison Robitaille LLP, Condrain said it "has always had confidence in the justice system and that this matter would conclude as it has today."
It continued, "Our thoughts are with the families of those that lost their lives and the Barrie community. We remain committed to the community and moving forward from this heartbreaking tragedy."
It remains unclear what safety measures were present such as fencing, signage, or barricades in the vicinity of the large hole in the construction zone where the deadly crash occurred.
The City of Barrie has said the area was the site of an infrastructure project with new water mains and sanitary sewers at McKay Road and Veterans Drive.
Condrain, founded by the De Gasperis brothers, is one of the largest construction companies in Ontario.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
WATCH LIVE @ 12 EDT
WATCH LIVE @ 12 EDT Air Canada says government should be ready to prevent pilots from striking
Air Canada said on Thursday that the federal Canadian government should be prepared to intervene to prevent a looming pilots' strike that the carrier said could cause disruption for weeks to come.
Ontario woman misses flight to funeral due to airline ticket typo
An Ontario woman admits she was flustered and stressed trying to book an airline ticket when she found out a close relative had died last month.
Many Canadians believe the country’s two biggest political parties have moved towards fringes: survey
Some Canadians believe they've become 'political orphans' as all the major parties have become 'too extreme' in their views, according to a new survey by Angus Reid Institute.
Sobeys parent company Empire reports $207.8M Q1 profit, sales up from year ago
Empire Co. Ltd. says it earned $207.8 million in its latest quarter, down from $261 million a year ago as its sales edged higher.
The man who discovered Churchill's picture was stolen was treated like a suspect; now he's being honoured
When the 'Roaring Lion' portrait of Winston Churchill is returned to the Fairmont Château Laurier, a 68-year-old man once considered the prime suspect in the heist will have the honour of replacing it.
WATCH LIVE @ 12 EDT
WATCH LIVE @ 12 EDT Consul general to New York to answer questions over $9M luxury condo purchase
After weeks of pressure, Canada's consul general Tom Clark will testify on Thursday before a House of Commons committee about the purchase of his new official residence in New York that generated a lot of political attention over the summer.
'An unfortunate waste of resources': Ontario woman facing criminal charge following water gun incident
A Simcoe, Ont. woman is facing an assault with a weapon charge after she said that she accidentally sprayed her neighbour with a water gun over the Labour Day weekend, a situation that at least one legal expert says amounts to an ‘unfortunate waste of resources.’
Earthquake rattles the Los Angeles area
An earthquake was felt widely in the Los Angeles area Thursday morning.
Billionaire steps out of SpaceX capsule for first private spacewalk hundreds of miles above Earth
A billionaire kicked off the first private spacewalk Thursday, teaming up with SpaceX on the daring endeavour hundreds of miles above Earth.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
Kitchener
-
How new technology is helping farmers cut costs and save time
New advancements in technology are helping farmers save money and time.
-
Second man arrested after over 200 firearms seized in WRPS weapons investigation
A second person is facing weapons related charges after the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) seized hundreds of firearms.
-
Guelph man charged for posting intimate video of former partner
A Guelph man has been charged after police said he posted a sexual video involving a former partner on social media.
London
-
Pedestrian struck in two-vehicle crash
A pedestrian is in hospital with life-threatening injuries following a crash in London. The two-vehicle crash involving the pedestrian happened around 2:30 a.m. on Richmond Street near the gates of Western University.
-
Victim taken to hospital with serious injuries following afternoon shooting
The London police are investigating a shooting that took place on Boullee Street in London Wednesday afternoon.
-
OPP discover hidden drug lab in Walkerton
An assault involving a firearm on September 9, led South Bruce OPP to discover a hidden drug lab at a residence in Walkerton.
Windsor
-
Memorial left at site of shooting victim in Windsor
A small memorial has been left at the site of a deadly police-involved shooting in the city core last week. Jason west died at the corner of Elliott Street east and Goyeau Street, after being shot by police.
-
Double fatal crash being investigated in Lambton County
Around 1 p.m. on Wednesday, OPP, fire and EMS responded to a crash between a tractor trailer and a passenger vehicle, at the intersection of Inwood Road and Courtright Line in Brooke-Alvinston.
-
Alleged auto theft operation ringleader arrested for violating bail conditions: Police
The Windsor police said the alleged ringleader of an international auto theft operation has been arrested for violating bail conditions.
Northern Ontario
-
Careless driving charge laid in North Bay crash
A Sunday morning crash on Highway 17 resulted in a Powassan driver being charged with careless driving, Ontario Provincial Police say.
-
Public pooping leads to threats charge at northern Ont. campground
An incident involving siblings last weekend in Thessalon, Ont., ended with threats against campground staff and charges for one of the family members.
-
Phone lines, internet out across Rainbow District Schools
Rainbow District School Board, the largest school board in northern Ontario, is reporting an issue with its phone lines and internet Thursday.
Sault Ste. Marie
-
Phone lines, internet out across Rainbow District Schools
Rainbow District School Board, the largest school board in northern Ontario, is reporting an issue with its phone lines and internet Thursday.
-
Fireworks mistaken for gunshots in Sault Ste. Marie, police say
Police in Sault Ste. Marie say the sound of fireworks prompted several calls to 911 on Thursday afternoon.
-
Quebec suspect charged with stealing gas in northern Ont. was driving van stolen in B.C.
An investigation of gas theft in Echo Bay, Ont., led to the discovery of a full-sized cargo van stolen from British Columbia.
Ottawa
-
'Buy Local': PSAC changes shopping message amid backlash for asking workers to boycott downtown Ottawa businesses
A federal public service union is now encouraging its members to "buy local" and support neighbourhood businesses, one day after a social media post suggested federal workers boycott downtown businesses in an apparent retaliation for the return-to-office mandate.
-
Ottawa resident who tested positive for mosquito-borne virus dies, public health says
An Ottawa resident who died of a viral encephalitis this summer tested positive for the mosquito-borne virus eastern equine encephalitis (EEEV), the first human case of the virus in Ottawa.
-
Assault suspect in OC Transpo bus sought by Ottawa police
The Ottawa Police Service is asking the public for help in identifying a suspect involved with an alleged assault on an OC Transpo bus last month.
Toronto
-
'An unfortunate waste of resources': Ontario woman facing criminal charge following water gun incident
A Simcoe, Ont. woman is facing an assault with a weapon charge after she said that she accidentally sprayed her neighbour with a water gun over the Labour Day weekend, a situation that at least one legal expert says amounts to an ‘unfortunate waste of resources.’
-
Some Toronto travellers make back-up plans amid potential Air Canada pilot strike
As a potential pilot strike threatens to shut down Air Canada operations as early as Sunday, some travellers in Toronto are making contingency plans for their return home.
-
BREAKING
BREAKING Stabbing in Etobicoke leaves 1 dead, police searching for second victim
One person is dead and another is believed to be injured following a stabbing in Etobicoke early Thursday morning, police say.
Montreal
-
Quebec MNA Youri Chassin leaves the CAQ ship
In another blow for the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), Saint-Jérôme MNA Youri Chassin is leaving the party just hours after publishing an open letter criticizing his own government.
-
Quebec wants to force tips to be calculated before taxes
The Minister responsible for Consumer Protection, Simon Jolin-Barrette, tabled a bill on Thursday to force merchants to calculate tips on the basis of the price, excluding Quebec and Canadian sales taxes.
-
Quebec commission on youth screen time begins
The work of the Special Commission on the Impact of Screens and Social Networks on the Health and Development of Young People (CSESJ) began on Thursday.
Atlantic
-
Driver, 15, dies after crashing into power pole, tree in Stellarton, N.S.
A 15-year-old has died after a single-vehicle collision in Stellarton, N.S., early Thursday morning.
-
Tidal power junk: N.S. village wants huge, abandoned moorings moved from fishing area
Residents of a small Nova Scotia community are worried about who will remove four concrete-filled boxcars sitting in their harbour after a tidal power firm collapsed.
-
'Bit of a mess': Construction, population growth causing traffic tie-ups in Halifax
Ongoing construction and population growth are causing traffic woes for Halifax-area drivers.
Winnipeg
-
Inside a Manitoba ghost town, a group of ladies works to keep it alive
Abandoned homes line the streets of Lauder, a town that's now a ghost of what it once was. Yet inside, a small community is thriving.
-
Police searching for missing 22-year-old man
Winnipeg police are asking for the public's help locating a man last seen in the Bridgwater neighbourhood.
-
Emergency exercise taking place at Winnipeg airport Thursday
People travelling through Winnipeg Richardson International Airport on Thursday may notice a number of emergency personnel on the tarmac – but the Winnipeg Airports Authority (WAA) assures it is just a training exercise.
Calgary
-
Burned body found along rural road in Rocky View County, Alta.
RCMP are investigating after human remains were found following a fire alongside a rural road in Rocky View County early Wednesday.
-
Work on Calgary water main ahead of schedule, restrictions could be lifted sooner
Calgarians and area residents kept their water use in check for a second day in a row, building momentum on some good news that repair work could be finished ahead of schedule.
-
DEVELOPING
DEVELOPING Lloydminster RCMP responding to 'unfolding incident'
Mounties in Lloydminster warned the public they were responding to "an unfolding incident" Wednesday evening.
Edmonton
-
DEVELOPINGDEVELOPING Lloydminster RCMP responding to 'unfolding incident'
Mounties in Lloydminster warned the public they were responding to "an unfolding incident" Wednesday evening.
-
McDavid looking forward after Oilers' run to Stanley Cup final
Connor McDavid attacked the off-season from a different angle.
-
Canada's wildfire season ranks among worst but less severe than feared
With summer drawing to a close in Canada, the 2024 wildfire season is shaping up as one of the most destructive on record, largely due to the devastation caused by a blaze that ripped through a tourist town in the Canadian Rockies.
Regina
-
Fire rips through farm field near Pense, farmer outraged over response by emergency crews
All that remains is a black charred field that stretches for miles after a massive fire roared through stubble crop fields in the R.M. of Pense on Monday afternoon.
-
Regina woman facing charges after allegedly stealing police cruiser
An 18-year-old woman in Regina is facing several charges after she allegedly took off in a stolen police vehicle following officer's efforts to assist her.
-
Langenburg UFO sighting commemorated with silver coin
Perhaps Saskatchewan's most famous encounter with Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP/UFO) – "The Langenburg Event" is now being immortalized in the form of a collector's coin.
Saskatoon
-
Saskatoon Tribal Council shelter will face cuts after new proposed shelter opens: province
The proposed downtown location for the city’s newest homeless shelter is drawing criticism from the chief of the Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC), which runs the city’s largest emergency shelter.
-
DEVELOPING
DEVELOPING Lloydminster RCMP responding to 'unfolding incident'
Mounties in Lloydminster warned the public they were responding to "an unfolding incident" Wednesday evening.
-
'We do it well': How Elections Saskatchewan preps for voting
Saskatchewan is entering election season, with voters soon heading to the polls to determine the province’s future.
Vancouver
-
2 men stabbed after meeting to 'conduct a transaction,' Surrey RCMP say
Authorities are investigating a stabbing in Surrey, B.C., that put two men in hospital Wednesday afternoon.
-
Family of teen who died in B.C. homeless camp pushes for involuntary treatment for children with addictions
In February, when Brianna MacDonald was rushed to hospital because of a suspected overdose, her parents said they begged Surrey Memorial to keep her in the youth psychiatric ward because of her mental health and addiction issues.
-
B.C. Lions lean on versatile offence to continue win streak against Toronto Argonauts
A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions' highlight reels in recent weeks.
Vancouver Island
-
B.C. family doctors press parties for plans to address crisis ahead of election
More than 700,000 British Columbians don't have a family doctor and two physicians’ groups want to know how the province’s political parties plan to address the crisis.
-
RCMP enforcement at B.C. logging protests 'unreasonable,' federal police watchdog says
A federal police oversight agency has found the RCMP's enforcement of a civil injunction against old-growth logging protesters on Vancouver Island was unreasonable and violated the rights of activists.
-
B.C. Lions lean on versatile offence to continue win streak against Toronto Argonauts
A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions' highlight reels in recent weeks.
