Mothers Against Drunk Driving hosts annual memorial ceremony in Saskatoon

(Noah Rishaug/CTV News)

It was a somber day at HMCS Unicorn Saturday, where a service was held for the lives lost due to impaired drivers.

The event was put on by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) where families of loved ones, and dignitaries from government, police, and fire all gathered to pay their respects to the dozens of individuals whose lives were taken.

Member of the Saskatoon Police Service and Royal Canadian Mounted Police detailed the progress made on impaired driving crackdowns with Saskatchewan recently following Albertan legislation on mandatory sobriety checks.

For the families, the event was about coming together and grieving the loss of their loved ones.

Gillian Phillips is the victim services manager with MADD in western Canada. She hopes the memorial will be a place of healing for families.

"After a certain amount of time, people think people should move on, or they don't want to discuss it or they don't bring up the name. This is a different community, it's where you can come and they know you never get over it," said Phillips.

For Phillips, the journey is personal, having lost a loved one herself.

"My daughter is on the Alberta monument, so I know personally how important this community is, and these memorials are," said Phillips.

MADD hopes that there will come a year, where they don't have to add any names to their memorial monument.