
07/10/2025
Residential schools in Canada were part of a government-supported, church-run system created with the goal of assimilating Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian society. The system operated for over a century and inflicted deep and lasting harm on generations of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
The first federally funded residential school opened in 1883. From the start, these schools were designed not simply for education, but for cultural erasure. Children were taken—often by force or threat—from their families and communities. Once inside the institutions, they were forbidden to speak their languages, wear traditional clothing, or practice their spiritual and cultural traditions.
The schools were run primarily by Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches in partnership with the Canadian government. The environments were often harsh, and many students suffered physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Malnutrition, disease, neglect, and isolation were common. Thousands of children died, and many were buried in unmarked graves far from home.
The last federally funded residential school, the Gordon Residential School in Saskatchewan, closed in 1996. By then, over 150,000 Indigenous children had been impacted by the system.
The legacy of residential schools lives on in the intergenerational trauma carried by survivors and their families. It continues to shape Indigenous experiences in Canada today—socially, emotionally, spiritually, and politically.
In 2008, the Canadian government issued a formal apology, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was established. The TRC’s final report, released in 2015, described the residential school system as cultural genocide and issued 94 Calls to Action to redress the harm and advance reconciliation.
The work of healing continues.
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ᐊᓂᓈᐯᐃᐧᐣ aninâpêwin — Truth
ᐊᔭᐦᑊ ayahp — It happened
ᐅᑳᐤ okâw — We remember
—Kanipawit Maskwa
John Gonzalez
Standing Bear Network