Vancouver marks 1 year anniversary of Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy with memorials across city

Memorials and gatherings ar existence held crosswise george vancouver on lord's day to mark one year since a car ramming at the city’s Lapu-Lapu Day festival killed 11 people and injured many others.

The City of Vancouver says the anniversary is difficult for many and is encouraging people to gather in safe, respectful spaces to reflect and remember.

The city says it continues to care for a temporary memorial at Mountain View Cemetery, near the scene of the incident at Fraser and East 41st Avenue and is asking community members to visit the memorial as a dedicated space to honour those lost.

Mayor Ken Sim said his thoughts are with the families of those who died and everyone whose lives were changed that day.

“Vancouver has demonstrated real strength in how people have supported one another through this, and that matters as we take time to remember,” he said in a statement earlier this week. 

Community members are attending events throughout the day, including a walking memorial and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Mountain View Cemetery and a memorial mass at St. Mary’s Parish. 

In a statement Sunday, Prime Minister Mark Carney describes what unfolded that day on April 26, 2025, as a “senseless act of violence” that "left a profound void in the hearts of families, loved ones, and Filipino communities across Canada." 

Lapu Lapu event divides Vancouver’s Filipino community

Carney says it's a "solemn day" to remember the victims of the vehicle attack, who have shown "strength, solidarity and compassion" when faced with "unimaginable loss and grief." 

B.C. Premier David Eby says the attack was an "unspeakable and unprecedented tragedy" that remains as incomprehensible a year later as it did on the day of the attack.

He says the anniversary is a time to honour and mourn the victims and to "stand in solidarity with the Filipino community and all whose lives have been forever changed by this tragedy."

The Lapu-Lapu Day festival was first held in Vancouver in 2024 and celebrates Filipino culture. It is named after a Filipino chief who fought against Spanish colonization.  

This year’s event, renamed the Lapu-Lapu Day of Togetherness, was held last weekend at the Italian Cultural Centre on Slocan Street instead of the original location.

Organizers said the gathering focused on healing and connection, guided by the Filipino concept of bayanihan, which emphasizes collective care and community support.

The event also drew a protest, with some questioning how more than $1.5 million in donations for victims has been distributed.

Filipino B.C., which organizes the festival, says it has been transparent and continues to support those affected by covering care and service costs rather than providing direct payments.

Kai-Ji Adam Lo has been charged with 11 counts of second-degree murder and 31 counts of attempted murder in relation to the car ramming.

The tragedy prompted an outpouring of support for B.C.'s Filipino Canadian community, as well as calls for more government supports for those affected.

---

---