A piece of history has been lost.
A historic Catholic church in Quebec, Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Allégresses in Trois-Rivières, has suffered severe structural damage due to a fire, which also caused one of its bell towers to collapse. The church, which dates back to 1914, is one of over 110 churches in Canada that have been damaged by fire or vandalism since 2021. Emergency crews responded quickly to the fire, which was reported by local authorities, but the cause of the blaze remains undetermined. Thankfully, the church was empty at the time, and no injuries were reported.
Witnesses and local media noted that flames were seen in a container near the church before the fire spread. Firefighters from the Trois-Rivières and nearby Bécancour regions were dispatched to contain the blaze, but the extent of the damage leaves the future of the church uncertain. Developer Georges Mouradian, who had purchased the church for a residential conversion project, expressed his disappointment, as the renovation was set to move forward just a day after the fire. Unfortunately, the church property was uninsured, which complicates recovery efforts.
The incident is part of a broader pattern of attacks on churches in Canada, many of which have occurred since the 2021 discovery of alleged unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian residential school in British Columbia. These findings sparked national outrage, particularly in relation to Canada’s treatment of Indigenous peoples, and led to widespread vandalism and arson targeting churches. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, among others, has linked these events to the country’s historical injustices.
However, investigations into the sites of alleged unmarked graves have yielded no evidence of mass graves at 14 locations. Early reports, which made international headlines, were based on ground-penetrating radar that suggested the possible presence of unmarked graves. Archbishop Richard Gagnon of Winnipeg pointed out that media coverage has diminished as investigations have failed to find remains, contrasting with the extensive initial coverage. Despite the lack of findings, there has been minimal public comment from the federal government regarding these results.
The church fire in Trois-Rivières is emblematic of the ongoing tensions surrounding the legacy of residential schools and the current wave of church vandalism in Canada. The uncertain future of Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Allégresses reflects the broader challenges facing religious and historical sites in the wake of national debates over Canada’s colonial past.