Starting this Sunday, Montrealers who have an emergency and are trying to get to the Royal Victoria Hospital’s emergency room in their own vehicle will be allowed to go through police barriers.
Montreal police have revised the protocol to access the Royal Victoria Hospital’s emergency room just ahead of Sunday’s 1 p.m. match at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.
The move comes about one week after a CBC report about a man who struggled to get his 84-year-old father to the ER. Police refused to let his car through even though the elderly man was in cardiac distress.
Until now, the protocol during Montreal Alouettes home games has been that the part of Pine Avenue which runs along the hospital is closed to all but emergency vehicles.
On Friday afternoon, Montreal police sent out a map with a revised plan.
Montrealers in an emergency situation who are rushing to the downtown hospital can now get to the ER by taking Peel and Doctor Penfield — on the west side of University Street.
From the east, Park and Pine avenue, remain accessible to police cars and ambulances. Citizens with an emergency situation will now also be allowed through, but only in the last five minutes of the football game.