By The Canadian Press

13-year-old skier from Ottawa dies days after she was injured on Quebec ski lift

Feb 16, 2026 | 10:14 AM

MONTREAL — A 13-year-old Ottawa girl who was seriously injured on a Quebec ski lift last week has died.

The girl’s family confirmed her death on Sunday in a statement released by the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario — CHEO — in Ottawa.

“Her sweet, bubbly spirit and love for those around her will live on through the lives she has touched and the lives she has saved through Trillium Gift of Life organ donation,” the family said, thanking their community for the support they’ve received in recent days and for care provided by the CHEO.

The girl was injured Feb. 11 during a school outing to Centre Vorlage, a ski hill located in Wakefield, Que., about 30 kilometres northwest of Ottawa.

Police have said her clothing got caught in the chairlift as it was raising her off the ground.

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“We would like to extend our love to all of those affected by this terrible tragedy,” the family said. “We are also grateful for everyone who took heroic action to help save our precious child.”

The Centre Vorlage ski temporarily closed after the incident and said in a statement on Sunday it was “deeply saddened by this loss.”

“We extend our most sincere condolences to her family, loved ones, and the members of her school community as they mourn this devastating loss,” the resort said in a statement posted to its Facebook page.

The resort is beginning a gradual return to operations this week.

“Safety remains an absolute priority for our entire team, and the resort will continue its efforts to ensure a careful and respectful return to normal operations for everyone affected by this tragic accident,” the resort said.

In a statement on Monday, the MRC-des-Collines police service said an Ontario coroner will investigate the circumstances surrounding the death and that its own investigation is ongoing.

The police also said that the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ), the body that oversees the province’s building code, conducted on-site inspections of the ski lift involved in the incident and ordered its closure last week.

Police say operations at the hill would resume with the RBQ’s approval.

A spokesperson for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board offered its condolences to the student’s family on Monday and said mental health resources are available to support fellow students and staff as needed.

The board also confirmed it has suspended all school-organized ski trips involving chairlifts as officials attempt to understand what transpired at the Quebec resort last week.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 16, 2026.

The Canadian Press