A fire on October 3, 2024 has destroyed the 110-year-old church of Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Allégresses in the city of Quebec in north-eastern Canada. By the time the fire was put out the same day, the roof had completely collapsed, and one of the two bell towers had been destroyed as well, according to local media.
Recent incidents have drawn attention to a surge in fires at religious sites in Quebec, though official investigations often cite accidental causes rather than coordinated attacks. In July 2025, the historic Église de l’Immaculée-Conception in Saint-Ours was destroyed by a fire caused by a lightning strike during a severe thunderstorm; this event was later mischaracterized on social media as arson by a Muslim immigrant, a claim debunked by local officials and fact-checkers.
More recently, on April 13, 2026, a fire destroyed the deconsecrated Church of Saint-Romain in Saint-Romain, a building constructed between 1934 and 1935 that served as a community library and performance hall. Nearly 50 firefighters responded to the blaze, which collapsed the roof and steeple, but the Sûreté du Québec stated the cause was not yet considered suspicious.
These events are part of a broader pattern noted since 2021, with over 100 churches across Canada damaged by fire or vandalism. In response to rising tensions and incidents, including violent protests at a Hindu temple in Brampton, the Canadian government has introduced legislation to protect places of worship, and cities like Toronto have passed bylaws restricting protests near religious and cultural institutions.
