A memorial is displayed for the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash on the corner of highway 35 and highway 335 near Codette, Sask. on Saturday, April, 6, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kayle Neis

Humboldt marks eight years since Broncos bus crash

By Jacob Bamhour Apr 6, 2026 | 7:32 AM

Eight years after the Humboldt Broncos bus crash, the community continues to reflect, remember and build a lasting tribute to those affected.

On April 6, 2018, a semi drove through a stop sign and collided with the team’s bus, leaving 16 people dead and 13 others injured. The City of Humboldt said work is steadily progressing on a permanent memorial at the crash site northeast of the city, near the intersection of Highway 35 and Highway 335.

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Mayor Rob Muench said the project has gained momentum in recent years, with a focus on creating a space where people can gather, reflect and heal.

“We’ve been progressing in the last little while fairly briskly,” Muench said.

The site, which has already become a place of remembrance for visitors, is being developed using donations collected in the aftermath of the crash.

Muench, who also serves as chair of the Humboldt Broncos Memorial Committee, said much of the foundational work has already been completed.

“All the concrete work is done and the basic road surfaces are in place,” he said. “There’s going to be a path system around there, benches… and a memorial statue.”

The design for the central monument is still being finalized, with families of those affected playing a leading role in shaping what the space will ultimately look like.

Muench said the goal is to have the full memorial completed in time for the 10th anniversary of the crash in 2028.

“In a perfect world, we would like to have it completed for the 10th anniversary,” he said. “We’re kind of diligently trying to get things there.”

While construction continues, he said the emotional weight of the anniversary remains.

Each year, Muench the date brings back painful memories for many in the community.

“It brings back memories,” he said. “It still hits home.”

He pointed to a tradition at St. Augustine Church in Humboldt, where bells are rung in honour of those involved in the bus crash.

“At about 4:50 p.m. they toll their bells for each of the people that were on the bus,” he said. “It helps us not forget all those that were lost that day.”

Muench also acknowledged the significant community effort that has gone into preparing the memorial site so far, acknowledging the volunteers and donors who contributed time, materials and expertise.

“We had a lot of people that donated time and materials, just earth moving and that type of thing,” he said. “The planning has been amazing on this whole project.”

As Humboldt marks another year since the tragedy, Muench said the work being done both at the site and within the community is about more than remembrance. He said it is about ensuring those who were killed are never forgotten and that future generations have a place to reflect.

Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, the semi driver responsible for the crash, received an eight-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to charges related to dangerous driving. He was released on full parole in 2023 and, according to his lawyer, recently moved a step closer to deportation to his home country of India after Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada rejected a bid by Sidhu to remain in Canada.

–with files from 650 CKOM’s Lara Fominoff and The Canadian Press