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VANCOUVER — It was early Sunday morning when Antonio Ortega drove in the area of Fraser Street in Vancouver, a year to the day since a vehicle tore through the crowd of the Lapu Lapu Day festival celebrating Filipino independence.
Ortega said he took time to reflect on the tragedy that claimed 11 lives and injured dozens of others, but he noticed that the community was still standing, with people just “doing their activities.”
“I am now on the process towards healing, but we need to agree that the community is not fully healed,” said Ortega, a former member of the board of Filipino BC.
“We cannot deny that there is still trauma.”
Ortega’s reflections came amid a wave of mournful messages as flags flew at half mast at the B.C. Legislature and at city halls around the Lower Mainland to mark a year since the attack overshadowed what was supposed to be a joyful street celebration for the city’s vibrant Filipino diaspora.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement Sunday that the sorrow of the deadly attack “is shared by our entire nation.”
“On this solemn day, we remember the victims — children, parents, and friends who were taken by this senseless act of violence,” it said. “This tragedy left a profound void in the hearts of families, loved ones, and Filipino communities across Canada and around the world.”
“In the face of unimaginable loss and grief, they have shown strength, solidarity, and compassion.”
B.C. Premier David Eby said the attack was an “unspeakable and unprecedented tragedy” that remains as incomprehensible a year later as it did on the day it took place.
“This tragedy should never seem normal. It should always shock and horrify us. And it is impossible to make peace with the scale of the devastation that took place,” Eby said. “Today, we hold the lives lost that night in honour and in love, and we grieve with the community that still carries the trauma of this event.
“We pause today to remember and mourn. On behalf of all British Columbians, we stand in solidarity with the Filipino community and all whose lives have been forever changed by this tragedy.”
Eby says the “senseless and vicious attack” left 11 people dead, dozens injured and many others traumatized for the rest of their lives.
For Ortega, the anniversary of the attack is a time for the community to continue “driving towards healing,” taking solace in church, saying prayers and coming together.
He said he’s been “touched” by the gestures of respect and solidarity, the messages and the lowering of flags in commemoration, making him feel lucky to live in Vancouver and in Canada.
Ortega said, however, there are “mixed” feelings about how the last year unfolded, with controversy surrounding how donations meant for victims of the attack were handled.
He said he left his spot on the board of Filipino BC out of a desire for “transparency and accountability,” but not to divide the community, which he described as being separated like “water and oil.”
“The victims were crying,” he said. “They did not receive the exact help that they’re supposed to get.”
Donations after the attack collected through United Way BC, for instance, went to support community-focused charities and other organizations rather than directly to victims of the attack.
“We recognize that there has been confusion and frustration about how the fund was structured,” United Way BC said on its website. “Situations like the Lapu Lapu tragedy are complex, and they have prompted us to reflect on how emergency funds are communicated so expectations are clearer.”
Filipino BC has said in a statement that it can’t give unrestricted cash payments to survivors since it’s a registered charity, instead working “closely with families to cover eligible expenses directly or through service providers, in accordance with charitable tax regulations.”
Ortega said there’s still an overall need to move forward, while still reflecting on what will remain an “unforgettable” tragedy.
“The last word is, we will rise again,” Ortega said.
— With files from Nono Shen
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2026
Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press
