A History of December 6 at SFU

The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women was established by the Canadian government to honour the fourteen women murdered at Polytechnique Montréal on December 6, 1989. Most of these women were engineering students, targeted in an act of anti-feminist violence.

SFU’s Memorial Bench 

On the 20th anniversary of the tragedy, SFU unveiled a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Montreal Massacre outside the east entrance to the Applied Sciences Building. The tribute includes:

• A basalt bench: designed by Victoria artist Illarion Gallant and sourced from the Squamish area, the bench bears the inscription: “On the 6th of December 1989, 14 women were killed at École Polytechnique de Montreal. They were mainly engineering students. Our community mourns their loss and honours them with this memorial.” 

• A grove of 14 dogwood trees: Planted near the entrance to SFU’s Applied Sciences building, these Cornus nuttallii (Eddie’s White Wonder) trees form a living memorial, reflecting the original ecosystem of Burnaby Mountain.

The memorial was initiated by SFU’s Women in Engineering (WiE) student organization, with leadership from Hiromi Matsui, former Director of Diversity and Recruitment for the Faculty of Applied Sciences, and support from Mehrdad Saif, former Director of the School of Engineering Science. 

Continuing the Legacy 

Since 1989, Women in Engineering—alongside campus partners such as the Sexual Violence Support & Prevention Office and the SFSS Women’s Centre—has hosted an annual vigil to honour the victims of the Montreal Massacre and raise awareness about ongoing gender inequity in STEM fields. During the vigil, the names of the fourteen women are read aloud, and attendees are invited to light a candle or lay a rose on the bench. 

Why December 6 Matters 

December 6 is not only a day of remembrance—it is a call to action. Gender-based violence remains a pervasive issue worldwide. By honouring the victims of the Montreal Massacre, we are recommitting ourselves to creating safer, more equitable communities.