Four people were taken to hospital after a multi-vehicle crash at a busy intersection.

Two of them suffered critical injuries, one of whom was airlifted to hospital.

Police said the cause was an SUV driving into a line of vehicles waiting at a red light.

One person needed to be extricated from their vehicle.

Police said it happened at around 10:48 a.m. on Tuesday at the intersection of Westmount Road East and Ottawa Street South.

Ottawa Street South was closed as a result, as was the northbound lane on Westmount.

The road was opened several hours later.

Debris littered the road in both directions.

Police were working to determine whether speed, distracted driving or a medical condition was the cause of the collision.