Two people are dead following a crash on Highway 401 in Mississauga, Ontario Provincial Police confirm.
The collision occurred in the eastbound express lanes near Dixie Road shortly after 9 a.m.
In a post on social media, police said two people died in the crash and three others were taken to hospital for treatment.
Ontario Provincial Police say that the victims, an 80-year-old man and 53-year-old woman from Cambridge, were both passengers in a silver Honda CRV that was struck from behind by a Mercedes SUV.
Police say that the driver of the Honda and another passenger were also taken to hospital. The driver of the Mercedes was airlifted to hospital as well. The severity of their injuries is not immediately clear.
Express lanes are blocked in Mississauga and CP24 Traffic Specialist Meital Sperling said there was a significant backup on the highway.
“There is no traffic being allowed into the express lanes between Mississauga Road and Dixie so there is a major backlog,” Sperling said. “The express lanes are completely blocked and the collectors are at a crawl.”
OPP previously said that the express lanes were expected to remain closed until at least 3 p.m.
Sperling said that motorists should avoid the area and instead consider Derry Road, Eglinton Avenue, and Highway 407 as alternate routes.
