Residential schools

Content warning: The following information and resources may be traumatizing for people with experiences of residential school, child abuse, or sexual abuse. We invite you to prepare yourself emotionally before reviewing this content, and reach out for support as needed. The Indian Residential School Survivors Society Emergency Crisis Line is available 24/7 for those who may need counselling or support: call 1-800-721-0066 or the 24-hour crisis line 1-866-925-4419.

We encourage all non-Indigenous residents to join us to pause, reflect and learn, and to undertake the significant work needed to bring about change.

As a City of Reconciliation, we remain committed to upholding the Calls to Action identified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission , including informing our residents and staff about the truth of what happened in residential schools.

Temporary residential school memorial at Robson Square

A memorial was installed after the confirmation of the remains of 215 children who were students of the Kamloops Indian Residential School.

Residential school history

Between the late 1800s and 1996, the Government of Canada and church organizations operated the Indian Residential School System.

These schools were part of Canada’s official policy, which aimed to assimilate Indigenous peoples and cause them not to exist. For a period of more than 150 years, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation children were taken from their families and communities to attend schools, which were often located far from their homes.

In 1920, the Indian Act made attendance at Indian Residential Schools compulsory for Treaty-status children between the ages of seven and 15. More than 150,000 children attended Indian Residential Schools. Many children died running away from the schools and it is estimated more than 7,000 died while in the care of the schools.
Key dates and events

1831: The first church-run Indian Residential School was opened.

1876: Indian Act enacted. The Act included a number of colonial laws that aimed to eliminate First Nations culture.

1920: The Indian Act made attendance at Indian Residential Schools compulsory for Treaty-status children between the ages of seven and 15.

1991: Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) established to investigate and propose solutions to the challenges affecting the relationship between Indigenous peoples, the Canadian government, and Canadian society. When the RCAP report was released in 1996, it contained testimony from residential school survivors.

1996: The last Indian residential school in Canada closed.

September 19, 2007: Implementation of Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement began, the result of a class action lawsuit on behalf of residential school survivors in Canada.

2008: Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) established. The TRC’s mandate was to inform all Canadians about what happened in residential schools and document the truth of survivors, their families, communities, and anyone personally affected by the residential school experience.

June 11, 2008: Then Prime Minister Stephen Harper, on behalf of the Government of Canada, issued a public apology to Indigenous Peoples acknowledging Canada's role in the Indian Residential Schools system.

December 15, 2015: Final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada presented containing the 94 Calls to Action .

September 30, 2021: The first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a federal statutory holiday. The day honours the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the Reconciliation process.

View the residential schools timeline at National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
Residential schools in BC

In BC, there were 18 federal/church-operated residential schools: Ahousaht, Alberni, Cariboo, Christie, Coqualeetza, Cranbrook, Kamloops, Kitimaat, Kuper Island, Lejac, Lower Post, Port Simpson, Lytton, Mission, Alert Bay, Sechelt, Squamish and Anahim Lake. The first school opened in Mission, BC (St Mary’s) in 1867; it was the final school to close in BC in 1984.

The Catholic-run Kamloops school became one of the largest schools in the residential school system, with more than 500 students enrolled in the early 1950s. In 2021, an investigation led to remains of 215 children being found on the grounds of this former school. Investigations are ongoing at other sites in BC and across Canada.

In addition to residential schools, BC also co-administered more than 100 federal day schools and three large Indian hospitals in Prince Rupert (Miller Bay), Nanaimo, and Sardis (Coqualeetza). Children from BC were also taken out of the province to attend residential schools.
Impacts of residential schools

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) concluded that residential schools were “a systematic, government-sponsored attempt to destroy Aboriginal cultures and languages and to assimilate Aboriginal peoples so that they no longer existed as distinct peoples.” The TRC characterized this intent as “cultural genocide.” Learn more on the TRC’s website

Other measures of colonial control such as banning Indigenous ceremonies, the reserve pass system, and the 60s Scoop, among many others, are all closely tied to the Canadian Indian Residential School System. Intergenerational impacts from residential schools still affect families and communities.

The City of Vancouver acknowledges the deep-rooted grief, trauma, and loss caused by Canada’s residential schools and other colonial systems and policies that were enacted and supported by all levels of government, including Vancouver City Council, and recognize the lasting impact of colonialism in our communities today.

Resources

This is a list of some resources about residential schools in Canada. There are many other resources available online.

Videos
- Overview by Historica Canada - Residential Schools in Canada: a timeline (5 minutes)
- Ceremony releasing the names of 2,800 children who died at residential schools (2 minutes)
Books
- My Name is Seepeetza by Nlaka’pamux author Shirley Stirling, based on her childhood experiences at the Kamloops Indian Residential School
- Behind Closed Doors: Stories from the Kamloops Indian Residential School featuring written testimonials from 32 individuals who attended Kamloops Indian Residential School
Podcasts
- Residential Schools , a three-part podcast series by Historica Canada, hosted by Shaneen Robinson-Desjarlais
- Still Here Still Healing , hosted by Jade Roberts, telling the stories of survivors and bringing awareness to lasting and ongoing impacts
Learning resources
- Gladys We Never Knew , an online learning resource following the life and death of Kamloops Indian Residential School student Gladys Chapman
- Where are the Children buried? , a report by Dr. Scott Hamilton, Dept. of Anthropology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay
Vancouver Public Library has curated a comprehensive list of resources about residential schools that covers:
- Truth and Reconciliation
- Useful websites
- Recommended books
- Recommended DVDs
- Digital library resources
- Book list for kids up to age 12
In-person learning
Reports

Residential schools

Temporary residential school memorial at Robson Square

Residential school history

Key dates and events

Residential schools in BC

Impacts of residential schools

Resources

Videos

Books

Podcasts

Learning resources

In-person learning

Reports

Contact information, partner agencies, and website policies