RICHMOND HILL, Ont. — The Ontario government is committing $350,000 to support the construction of a permanent memorial in Richmond Hill to honour the victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752, marking a significant step toward remembrance, healing and accountability six years after the tragedy.
The funding, announced Jan. 8 by the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, will be provided to the City of Richmond Hill to help build the Flight PS752 Memorial in Unity Park. The memorial will commemorate the 176 passengers and crew members who were killed when the aircraft was shot down by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shortly after departing Tehran on Jan. 8, 2020.
“Ontario is proud to support this important initiative that honours the victims of Flight PS752 while providing a space for reflection and healing,” said the Honourable Graham McGregor, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism. “This memorial is a place to remember the lives lost and to recognize the enduring strength of the families who continue to seek justice and accountability.”
The Flight PS752 Memorial is being developed as a collaborative effort between the City of Richmond Hill, the provincial and federal governments, and families of the victims. Construction is expected to begin in mid-2026, with completion targeted for 2027.
According to the province, the memorial’s design was shaped in partnership with families of those who lost their lives. Plans include a series of steel panels and an engraved granite base listing the names of all victims. Accessible pathways and integrated lighting will be incorporated to ensure the site functions as both a place of remembrance and a welcoming public space. Once completed, the memorial will serve as a civic landmark within Unity Park, reflecting the city’s commitment to honouring the lives lost.
The announcement was timed to coincide with the sixth anniversary of the downing of Flight PS752, underscoring what the province described as its ongoing commitment to stand with Iranian Canadians and all families affected by the tragedy. Ontario officials emphasized that the memorial is intended not only to commemorate the victims, but also to ensure the event is never forgotten.
The crash had a profound impact on communities across Canada, particularly in Richmond Hill. Of the 176 victims, 55 were Canadian citizens and 30 were permanent residents. Forty-four of those who died lived, worked or studied in Richmond Hill, making the tragedy the largest single-day loss of life in the city’s history.
“This will be the first memorial for the victims of Flight PS752 in Ontario,” the ministry said in a statement, noting that the City of Winnipeg unveiled Canada’s first permanent public memorial on July 5, 2025. In 2024, the federal government listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code.
Several provincial and municipal leaders welcomed the funding announcement, highlighting the importance of providing a dedicated space for collective mourning and reflection.
“I extend my deepest gratitude to the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims for helping to make this memorial possible. Our government is proud to stand with the victims’ families and to honour the memory of those we lost on that terrible day six years ago,” said Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.
Daisy Wai, Member of Provincial Parliament for Richmond Hill, said the memorial will play an important role for the local community. “I am deeply grateful for our government’s support in honouring the victims of Flight PS752. As our community continues to grieve, this memorial will create a space for Richmond Hill residents to come together in memory of those whose lives were tragically lost. It will stand as a lasting promise that their stories will be remembered and carried forward, always.”
Richmond Hill Mayor David West said the provincial contribution, combined with federal funding and the city’s own investment, will allow the project to move forward. “I’m so thankful for this provincial funding, which combined with the previously announced Federal funding and Richmond Hill’s own contribution, will enable our City to create a memorial for the victims of the tragic downing of Flight PS752 in 2020. This will give our community a dedicated space to collectively mourn our families and friends, and ensure that we will never forget.”
Representing the families of the victims, Kourosh Doustshenas, spokesperson and chair of the Government and Stakeholder Relations Committee for the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims, said the funding is a critical step toward long-term remembrance. “We are deeply grateful for the Government of Ontario’s approval of permanent funding for the Flight PS752 memorial in Richmond Hill. Combined with the previously announced federal funding and the strong support of the City of Richmond Hill, this commitment allows us to move forward with a dignified, permanent space to honour the 176 innocent victims of this tragic crime. This memorial will be a place of remembrance, reflection, and collective mourning—ensuring that the lives lost on Flight PS752 are never forgotten and that the pursuit of truth and justice remains alive in our community.”
Once completed, the Flight PS752 Memorial is expected to stand as a lasting symbol of remembrance in Richmond Hill and across Ontario, reflecting both the scale of the loss and the resilience of the families and communities affected.
