Supporting Each Other in the Wake of Yet Another Tragedy
A message from Andrea Bidgood, Bicycle Mayor of Guelph
Yesterday, a cyclist was killed in a collision at Elmira and Massey.
There are no words that reach far enough into a grief like this. But my thoughts, my care, and my deepest sympathy are with the man who was lost, with those who loved him, and with the first responders and the truck operator; who will all undoubtedly carry this with them.
I’m holding space for those who knew him personally, and just as much for those who feel this loss in their chest, even if we don’t know his name yet. Because this kind of grief is not always about proximity. It’s about recognizing loss. About knowing: it could have been me. It could have been someone I love.
The Weight We Carry, Again
This is not the first time we’ve gathered with grief, heartbreak, and quiet anger.
I’m still carrying the weight of our first ghost ride in 2024 — the heavy silence, the sorrow, the faces of a community that showed up not for spectacle, but to honour. To say: this is a tragic loss in our community.
I remember how grief moved through the city that day with a shared promise: We will remember. And we will not accept this as normal.
That promise still lives in me. It’s why this tragedy hurts so deeply. It’s why it cannot be ignored.
Before Action
In moments like this, we want to do something. To fix. To help. To shout. To find somewhere to put the pain.
But right now, we have a community that is hurting. A family whose world has changed. People who are scared, angry, heartbroken — sometimes all at once.
What we need most for the moment is to support each other. To grieve openly. To speak carefully. To honour the weight of this loss without rushing to fill the silence. And then — when the time is right — to turn that grief into something lasting.
Into safer systems.
Into meaningful change.
Into a city that refuses to accept tragedies like this as inevitable.
Into a culture that refuses to accept preventable tragedy as the cost of moving through our city.
We will build the Guelph we’ve promised to each other again and again. In letters. In vigils. In the Council Chambers. In moments of silence. In grief. We will build a Guelph where safety is not a privilege. A Guelph where this does not keep happening.
Because if we don’t change the trajectory, we already know how the next one ends.
And we have lost too much to stay quiet.
Please: Give the Family Time
As we await further details and, if permitted, the opportunity to share the name of the person who was lost, I ask this of everyone:
Let the family grieve. Let them breathe. Let them begin to process the impossible.
A Reminder About Narrative and Harm
Too often, when tragedy strikes, the blame falls quickest on the most vulnerable.
We see it again and again: in comments, in offhand remarks, in assumptions:
"They should have…"
"They must not have…"
This narrative is not just wrong — it’s harmful.
It adds pain to grieving families. It shifts attention away from the very systems that should be there to protect us. And it erases the lived reality of so many in our community — many who are just people trying to get home alive in a network that doesn’t always protect them.
What We Deserve
Not everyone can, wants to, or should drive.
But everyone deserves the right to move through their city with safety, dignity, and agency.
Death is not the price we pay for mobility.
It is a sign that something in the system is failing.
And that means we can and must do better.
Where We Go From Here
If you’re struggling right now, know this: your pain is valid. This loss doesn’t just affect one family. It ripples through memory, through fear, through all the people who recognize that this could have been them or a loved one.
Let’s make sure this heartbreak is not wasted. I’ll be sharing respectful ways to help when appropriate. And I will continue to advocate for immediate, meaningful safety improvements at Elmira and Massey and beyond.
I know how tired we all are. How heavy this moment is. How easy it would be to go numb or place anger wherever we can.
But I also know this:
Grief is powerful.
And when communities gather, something even stronger can form.
Even in the weight of all this sorrow:
we are not powerless.
In solidarity,
Andrea Bidgood
Bicycle Mayor of Guelph
If you have witness information, please contact:
Cst. Andrew Hildebrandt
Guelph Police Traffic Services Unit
📞 519-824-1212 ext. 7263
📧 ahildebrandt@guelphpolice.ca
💛 If You or Someone You Know Is in Crisis
If you or someone else is in immediate danger or need urgent medical support, please call 9-1-1.
Other local and national resources:
📞 Victim Services Wellington
Emotional support and practical help after trauma
📱 519-824-1212 ext. 7304 | ✉️ victim@vswguelph.on.ca
🧠 Here 24/7
24/7 mental health and addictions support (Waterloo-Wellington)
📞 1-844-437-3247 | 🌐 here247.ca
📱 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline
24/7 national support in English & French
📞 Call or text 9-8-8 | 🌐 988.ca
🌍 211 Ontario
Community, social, and mental health referrals
📞 Call 2-1-1 or 1-877-330-3213 | 🌐 211ontario.ca
🌿 MyGrief.ca
Free, compassionate grief education and support
🌐 mygrief.ca