Civic Holiday weekend one of the 'deadliest' in recent history: OPP

Police say 16 people died on Ontario roads and waterways over the Civic Day long weekend, calling it one of the deadliest in recent history.

Ontario Provincial Police say nine people died in road crashes, six drowned and one man died after a canoe capsized.

The road crash fatalities include one cyclist, one pedestrian, three people travelling in one vehicle and four by motorcycle.

The three vehicle occupants were in their twenties, and the motorcycle deaths include a 59-year-old driver and his 61-year-old passenger.

All of the drowning victims were male and three of them were youths.

Police are still investigating, but say many of the deaths were preventable.