Abbreviation | Religious denomination |
---|---|
(AN) | Anglican Church |
(BP) | Baptist |
(MD) | Methodist |
(OO) | Other |
(PB) | Presbyterian Church |
(RC) | Roman Catholic Church |
(UC) | United Church of Canada |
The following is a list of schools that operated as part of the Canadian Indian residential school system. [nb 1] [1] [2] The first opened in 1828, and the last closed in 1997. [3] [4] [5] These schools operated in all Canadian provinces and territories except Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick. [6]
The Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) has formally recognized 139 residential schools across Canada, but this number excludes schools that operated without federal support. [6]
The last school to close was Kivalliq Hall in Rankin Inlet, in what's now Nunavut, which closed in 1997; it became a IRSSA-recognized school in 2019 following a court ruling, which is why earlier accounts describe the last school closing in 1996. [6]
Schools in Newfoundland and Labrador were not included in the original settlement by the Harper government and instead reached a compensation deal with the federal government after a lawsuit in 2016. [7] [8] [9]
Name [1] [2] | Location | Province/Territory | Opened | Closed | Denomination | Documented Deaths [10] | Gravesites |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Assumption (Hay Lake) Indian Residential School [11] | Assumption (Hay Lake) | AB | 1951 | 1970 | RC | 2 | |
Blue Quill (Lac la Biche/Saddle Lake/Sacred Heart) Indian Residential School (Hospice of St. Joseph; Lac la Biche/St. Paul's Boarding School) [12] | Lac la Biche (1862-1898) Saddle Lake (1898-1931) St. Paul (1898-1931) | AB | 1862 | 1970 (became the first Native-administered school in Canada) | RC | 43 | Accidentally exhumed multiple graves in 2004 [13] ; intentionally exhumed 1 grave in 2024 [14] |
Holy Angels Indian Residential School (École des Saints-Anges / Our Lady of Victoria Indian Residential School) | Fort Chipewyan | AB | 1902 | 1974 | RC | 83 | |
Crowfoot (St. Joseph's) Indian Residential School (Blackfoot Residential School) [15] | Blackfoot Crossing (1900-1909) | AB | 1900 | 1968 | RC | 48 | |
St. Joseph's (Dunbow) Industrial School (High River Industrial School) | High River | AB | 1884 | 1922 | RC | 59 | Flood exposed 34 graves in 1996 [16] |
Edmonton (Poundmaker) Residential School [17] [18] | St. Albert | AB | 1924 (formerly Red Deer Industrial School) | 1968 | MD | 33 | |
Ermineskin Indian Residential School | Hobbema | AB | 1915 | 1973 | RC | 15 | |
St. Mary’s (Blood) Indian Residential School (Immaculate Conception Boarding School) [19] | Stand-Off (Blood) | AB | 1898 | 1988 | RC | 49 | |
Morley (Stoney) Residential School (McDougall Orphanage and Training Institution) | Morley (Stoney) | AB | 1926 | 1949 | MD | 16 | |
Old Sun (Blackfoot) Residential School [20] (North Camp Residential School / White Eagle's Boarding School / Short Robe Boarding School) | Gleichen | AB | 1894 | 1971 | AN | 41 | |
Sacred Heart (Peigan) Residential School [21] | Brocket (Peigan) | AB | 1892 | 1961 | RC | 41 | |
Red Deer Industrial School | Red Deer | AB | 1893 | 1919 (Poundmaker school opened 5 years later) | MD | 60 | |
Sarcee (St. Barnabas) Residential School [22] | Sarcee Junction, Calgary | AB | 1892 | 1921 | AN | 35 | |
St. Albert (Youville) Residential School [23] | St. Albert | AB | 1873 | 1948 | RC | 73 | |
Whitefish Lake (St. Andrew's) Residential School | Whitefish Lake | AB | 1895 | 1950 | AN | 4 | |
Grouard (St. Bernard’s) Residential School | Grouard | AB | 1894 | 1957 | RC | 15 | Radar detected 196 potential graves in 2022 [24] |
Joussard (St. Bruno's) Residential School | Joussard | AB | 1913 | 1969 | RC | 30 | Radar detected 88 potential graves in 2022 [25] |
St. Cyprian's (Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Home) Residential School (Victoria Jubilee Home for Indian Children) [26] | Brocket (Peigan) | AB | 1900 (new school built in 1926) | 1962 | AN | 25 | |
Sturgeon Lake (Calais) Residential School (St. François/Francis Xavier Boarding school) [27] | Calais | AB | 1907 | 1961 | RC | 45 | |
Fort Vermilion (St. Henri) Residential School [28] | Fort Vermilion | AB | 1903 | 1968 | RC | 21 | |
Wabasca (St. John’s) Residential School [29] | Wabasca | AB | 1902 (new school built in 1949) | 1966 | AN | 11 | |
Desmarais (St. Martin’s) Residential School | Desmarais-Wabasca | AB | 1901 | 1973 | RC | 16 | |
St. Paul's (Blood) Residential School (Church of England) | Cardston (Blood) | AB | 1893 | 1975 | AN | 78 | |
Lesser Slave Lake (St. Peter's) Residential School | Slave Lake | AB | 1895 | 1932 | AN | 2 | |
Alberni Indian Residential School | Port Alberni | BC | 1900 (burned in 1917, rebuilt in 1920; burned in 1937, rebuilt in 1939) | 1973 | UC | 40 | Radar detected 17 potential graves in 2023 [30] |
Ahousaht Indian Residential School | Ahousaht | BC | 1901 | 1950 | PB | 8 | |
Anahim Lake Dormitory (Ulkatcho) Residential School | Anahim Lake (Ulkatcho) | BC | 1968 | 1977 | RC | 0 | |
Christie (Clayoquot/Kakawis) Residential School [31] | Meares Island (1900-1971) Tofino (1971-1983) | BC | 1900 | 1983 | RC | 46 | |
Kamloops (St. Louis) Residential School (Kamloops Industrial School) | Kamloops | BC | 1890 | 1978 | RC | 82 | Radar detected 200 potential graves in 2021 [32] |
Kitimaat Indian Residential School (Elizabeth Long Memorial School for Girls) [33] | Kitimaat | BC | 1908 | 1941 | MD | 12 | |
Kootenay (St. Eugene's/St. Mary's Residential School) | Cranbrook | BC | 1867 | 1984 | RC | 29 | Accidentally exhumed 1 grave in 2020; Radar detected 182 potential graves in 2021 [34] |
Kuper Island Indian Residential School | Penelakut Island | BC | 1890 | 1975 | RC | 171 [35] | Radar detected 160 potential graves in 2021 [36] |
Lejac (Stuart Lake) Residential School | Fraser Lake | BC | 1917 (new building in 1922) | 1976 | RC | 45 | |
Lower Post Indian Residential School | Lower Post | BC | 1951 | 1975 | RC | 3 | |
Coqualeetza (Chilliwack Home) Residential School | Chilliwack | BC | 1889 | 1940 (later became the Coqualeetza Hospital and is now the Coqualeetza Cultural Education Centre) | MD | 42 | |
Metlakatla Indian Residential School (Metlakatla Indian Girls' School) | Metlakatla | BC | 1891 | 1962 | OO | ||
Port Simpson Residential School (Crosby Home for Girls) | Port Simpson | BC | 1892 | 1948 | MD | 3 | |
Presbyterian Coqualeetza Indian Residential School | Chilliwack | BC | 1861 | 1940 | PB | ||
Roman Catholic Coqualeetza Indian Residential School | Chilliwack | BC | 1890 | 1941 | RC | ||
St. Augustine's Indian Residential School | Sechelt | BC | 1912 | 1975 | RC | 12 | Radar detected 40 potential graves in 2023 [37] |
St. Paul’s Indian Residential School | North Vancouver | BC | 1898 | 1959 | RC | 4 | |
St. George's (Lytton) Indian Residential School | Lytton | BC | 1901 (new school built in 1928) | 1979 | AN | 78 | |
St. Mary's Mission Indian Residential School | Mission (Pekw'Xe:yles) | BC | 1861 | 1984 | RC | 18 | |
St. Michael's (Alert Bay) Indian Residential School | Alert Bay | BC | 1929 | 1975 | AN | 18 | |
Williams Lake Indian Residential School (Williams Lake Industrial School) | Cariboo | BC | 1890 | 1981 | RC | 28 | Radar detected 93 potential graves in 2022 [38] |
Yale Indian Residential School | Yale | BC | 1900 | 1920 | AN | 5 [39] | |
Yuquot Indian Residential School | Yuquot | BC | 1901 | 1913 | RC | ||
Assiniboia Indian Residential School (Assiniboia Hostel) | Winnipeg | MB | 1958 (September 2) | 1973 (June 30) | RC | 1 | |
Birtle Indian Residential School | Birtle | MB | 1888 (December 3) | 1970 | PB | 47 | |
Brandon Indian Residential School (Brandon Industrial School) | Brandon | MB | 1895 (May 23) | 1972 (June 30) | MD | 94 | Radar detected 104 potential graves in 2019 [40] |
Cross Lake Indian Residential School (Norway House Roman Catholic Indian Residential School) | Cross Lake | MB | 1915(March 9) | 1969 (July 30) | RC | 57 | |
Elkhorn Indian Residential School (Elkhorn Industrial School / Washakada Indian Residential School) | Elkhorn | MB | 1888 | 1919 (as CP Railway purchased land on which school was built) | AN | 76 | |
Elkhorn Indian Residential School (Washakada Indian Residential School) | Elkhorn | MB | 1925 | 1949 | AN | 10 | |
Fort Alexander Indian Residential School | Pine Falls | MB | 1905 | 1970 (June) | RC | 35 | Radar detected 190 anomalies in 2022 [41] |
Guy Hill Indian Residential School | The Pas and Clearwater Lake | MB | 1952 (Students were relocated from Sturgeon Landing, Saskatchewan to a temporary school in The Pas until a newly built school in Clearwater Lake in 1958) | 1979 (June 30) | RC | 2 | Radar detected 71 potential graves in 2022 [42] ; excavation of 14 found no evidence of human remains [43] |
Lake St. Martin Indian Residential School | Fisher River | MB | 1874 (new school built in 1948) | 1963 | AN | Cadaver dogs detected multiple potential graves in 2024 [44] | |
MacKay Indian Residential School | The Pas | MB | 1915 | 1933 | AN | 10 | |
MacKay Indian Residential School | Dauphin | MB | 1955 | 1989 | AN | 1 | |
Norway House Methodist Indian Residential School | Norway House | MB | 1900 | 1967 (June 30) | MD | 23 | |
Pine Creek Indian Residential School (Camperville Indian Residential School) | Camperville | MB | 1890 | 1969 (August 31) | RC | 50 | |
Portage la Prairie Methodist Indian Residential School | Portage la Prairie | MB | 1891 | 1975 (June 30) | MD | ||
Portage la Prairie Presbyterian Indian Residential | Portage la Prairie | MB | 1895 | 1950 | PB | 5 | |
Sandy Bay Indian Residential School | Sandy Bay Reserve | MB | 1905 | 1970 (June 30) | RC | 22 | Radar detected 13 potential graves in 2022 [45] |
St. Boniface Industrial School | St. Boniface | MB | 1891 | 1909 | RC | 87 [46] | |
St. Paul's Industrial School (St. Rupert's Land Industrial School) | Selkirk | MB | 1886 | 1906 | AN | ||
Waterhen Indian Residential School | Waterhen | MB | 1890 | 1900 | RC | ||
Lockwood School* | Cartwright | NL | 1964 | OO | |||
Makkovik Boarding School* | Makkovik | NL | 1960 | OO | |||
Nain Boarding School* | Nain | NL | 1973 | OO | |||
St. Anthony's Orphanage* | St. Anthony | NL | 1979 | OO | |||
Yale School* | North West River | NL | 1980 | OO | |||
Aklavik Anglican Indian Residential School (All Saints Indian Residential School) | Shingle Point | NWT | 1927 (moved to Aklavik in 1934 due to overcrowding | 1959 | AN | 59 | |
Aklavik Catholic Indian Residential School (later Inuvik Indian Residential School) | Aklavik | NWT | 1925 (relocated to Inuvik in 1959; Stringer Hall was Anglican Residence and Grollier Hall the RC residence) | 1996 (June 1975 (Stringer Hall); June 30 1996 (Grollier Hall)) | RC | 20 | |
Fort McPherson Indian Residential School; (Including residence, Fleming Hall); | Fort McPherson | NWT | 1898 | 1970 | OO (non-denominational) | 1 | |
Fort Providence Indian Residential School (Providence Mission Indian Residential School) | Fort Providence | NWT | 1867 | 1953 | RC | 88 | Radar detected 150 [47] to 298 [48] potential graves in 2021 |
Fort Resolution Indian Residential School | Fort Resolution | NWT | 1867 | 1957 | RC | 67 | Intentionally exhumed 7 graves in 2025 [49] |
Fort Simpson Indian Residential School (Fort Simpson Boarding School, including residences Bompas Hall, Lapointe Hall, St. Margaret's Hall) | Fort Simpson | NWT | 1920 | 1970 | RC | 3 | |
Fort Smith Indian Residential School (Breynat Hall) | Fort Smith | NWT | 1957 | 1970 | RC | 1 | |
Hay River Indian Residential School (St. Peter's Mission Indian Residential School) | Hay River | NWT | 1898 | 1949 | AN | 42 | |
Akaitcho Hall (dormitory for Sir John Franklin High School) | Yellowknife | NWT | 1958 | 1994 | Federal/GNWT | 4 | |
Shubenacadie Indian Residential School | Shubenacadie | NS | 1922 | 1968 | RC | 23 | |
Chesterfield Inlet Indian Residential School (including residence: Turquetil) | Chesterfield Inlet | NU | 1929 | 1970 | RC | 3 | |
Frobisher Bay Indian Residential School | Frobisher Bay | NU | 1965 | 1992 The building now houses the Nunatta Residence of the Nunavut Arctic College.(students were transferred to a new hostel, which operated until 1996.) | RC | 2 | |
Kivalliq Hall | Rankin Inlet | NU | 1985 | 1997 | OO | 0 | |
Albany Mission Indian Residential School (Fort Albany Residential School) | Fort Albany | ON | 1912 | 1963 | RC | 32 | |
Alexandra Industrial School for Girls | Toronto | ON | 1897 | 1910 [50] | OO | ||
Alnwick Industrial School (in partnership with Mount Elgin Indian Residential School) | Alderville | ON | 1838 | 1966 | MD | ||
Bishop Horden Memorial School (Moose Factory Indian Residential School; Moose Fort Indian Residential School) | Moose Factory | ON | 1907 | 1963 | AN | 57 | |
Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School (Shoal Lake) | Kenora | ON | 1900 | 1966 | PB | 50 | |
Chapleau Indian Residential School (Saint John's Indian Residential School) | Chapleau | ON | 1907 | 1950 | AN | 56 | |
Fort Frances Indian Residential School (St. Margaret's Indian Residential School) | Fort Frances | ON | 1902 | 1974 | RC | 3 | |
McIntosh Indian Residential School (Kenora Indian Residential School) | Kenora | ON | 1925 | 1969 | RC | 45 | Radar detected 114 potential graves in 2025 [51] |
Mohawk Institute Residential School (Mohawk Manual Labour School; Mush Hole Indian Residential School) | Brantford | ON | 1828 | 1970 | AN | 47 | Accidentally exhumed 1 grave in 2020 [52] ; radar search in progress [53] |
Mount Elgin Indian Residential School (in partnership with Alnwick) | Muncey Town | ON | 1848 | 1948 | MD | 16 | |
Shingwauk Indian Residential School | Garden River | ON | 1873 | 1873 (burned down six days after opening) | AN | 0 | |
Shingwauk Indian Residential School | Sault Ste. Marie | ON | 1873 (merged with Wawanosh to form a larger school in 1900) | 1971 (currently houses Algoma University) | AN | 87 | |
Wawanosh School for Girls | Sault Ste Marie | ON | 1877 | 1900 (merged with Shingwauk) | AN | 0 | |
Sioux Lookout Indian Residential School (Pelican Lake Day School) | Sioux Lookout | ON | 1911 | 1973 | AN | 11 [54] | |
Spanish Indian Residential Schools; St. Joseph Residential School 1916–1962 (girls school) still standing; St Charles Garnier College 1913–1958 (boys school)now demolished | Spanish | ON | 1883 | 1965 | RC | 114 | |
St. Anne’s Indian Residential School | Fort Albany | ON | 1936 | 1964 | RC | 32 | |
St. Joseph's Orphanage and Boarding School (for Indigenous and White Children) | Fort William | ON | 1870 | 1968 | RC | 10 | |
St. Mary's Indian Residential School | Kenora | ON | 1894 | 1962 | RC | 46 | Radar detected 171 and cadaver dogs detected 22 potential graves in 2023 [55] |
Wikwemikong Indian Residential School (Wikwemikong Day School) | Manitowaning | ON | 1840 (day school); 1879 (residential school) | 1963 | RC | ||
Armstrong Indian Residential School (Armstrong Residential School; Armstrong Home and School) | Armstrong | ON | 1880 | 1891 | RC | ||
Amos Indian Residential School (St. Marc's Indian Residential School) | St. Marc-de-Figuery (Amos) | QC | 1948 | 1965 | RC | 0 | |
Federal Hostel at George River | Kangirsualujjuaq | QC | 1960 | 1960 | OO (Non-Denominational) | 0 | |
Federal Hostel at Great Whale River | Kuujjuarapik (Poste-de-la-Baleine) | QC | 1960 | 1970 | OO (Non-Denominational) | 0 | |
Federal Hostel at Payne Bay | Kangirsuk (Bellin) | QC | 1960 | 1960 | OO (Non-Denominational) | 0 | |
Federal Hostel at Port Harrison | Inukjuak | QC | 1960 | 1971 | OO (Non-Denominational) | 0 | |
Fort George Hostels | Fort George | QC | 1975 | 1978 | OO (Non-Denominational) | 0 | |
St. Philip's Indian Residential School | Fort George | QC | 1933 (burned in 1943, rebuilt in 1944) | 1979 | AN | 28 | |
Fort George (St. Joseph's Mission, Residence Couture, Sainte-Thérèse-de-l'Énfant-Jésus) | Fort George | QC | 1936 | 1952 | RC | 21 | |
La Tuque Indian Residential School | La Tuque | QC | 1963 | 1978 | AN | 2 | |
Pointe Bleue Indian Residential School | Mashteuiatsh | QC | 1956 | 1965 | RC | 1 | |
Sept-Iles Indian Residential School (Seven Islands, Notre Dame, Maliotenam) | Sept-Îles | QC | 1952 | 1967 | RC | 1 | |
Battleford Industrial School | Battleford | SK | 1883 | 1914 | AN | 64 | Intentionally exhumed 72 graves in 1974 [56] |
Beauval Indian Residential School | Beauval | SK | 1895 | 1983 (became Meadow Lake Tribal Council's Beauval Indian Education Centre which closed in 1995) | RC | 60 | |
Cowesses Indian Residential School (Marieval Indian Residential School) | Marieval | SK | 1899 | 1981 (First Nation Operated 1981-1997) | RC | 18 | Radar detected 751 potential graves in 2021 [57] |
Crowstand Indian Residential School | Kamsack | SK | 1888 | 1916 | PB | 34 | |
St. Michael's Indian Residential School (Duck Lake Indian Residential School) [58] | Duck Lake | SK | 1894 | 1982, turned over to the Saskatoon District Tribal Council. Closed in 1996. | RC | 108 | |
Emmanuel College | Prince Albert | SK | 1879 | 1923 | AN | 18 | |
File Hills Indian Residential School (File Hills Colony School) | Okanese Reserve | SK | 1889 | 1949 | PB | 15 | |
Gordon Indian Residential School | Punnichy | SK | 1889 (new school built in 1911, burned down in 1929) | 1996 | AN | 43 | Radar detected 14 potential graves in 2022 [59] |
Guy Hill Indian Residential School | Sturgeon Landing | SK | 1926 | 1952 (burned down September 4, 1952; students were relocated to temporary school in The Pas until a newly built school opened in Clearwater Lake in 1958) | RC | 2 | |
Île-à-la-Crosse Indian Residential School | Île-à-la-Crosse | SK | 1878 | 1976 (the boarding school section) | RC | ||
Lac La Ronge (All Saints) Mission Indian Residential School | La Ronge | SK | 1914 (new school built in 1920) | 1947 (amalgamated with St. Albans to become Prince Albert Indian Residential School after fire) | AN | 11 | Radar detected multiple potential graves in 2021 [60] |
Muscowequan Indian Residential School | Lestock | SK | 1932 | 1981 | RC | 35 | Accidentally exhumed 19 graves in 1992 [61] ; Radar detected 15 potential graves in 2018 [62] |
St. Albans Indian Residential School | Prince Albert | SK | 1894 | 1951 (amalgamated with All Saints to become Prince Albert Indian Residential School) | AN | 18 | |
Prince Albert Indian Residential School | Prince Albert | SK | 1951 (merger of All Saints and St. Albans) | 1964 | AN | 0 | |
Qu'Appelle Indian Residential School (Qu'Appelle Industrial School); Lebret Indian Residential School; (Added St. Paul's High School in 1951) | Lebret | SK | 1884 (burned down in 1904, 1932) | 1969 (Re-opened under the operations of the reserve in 1973 as White Calf Collegiate, but that closed in August 1998) | RC | 109 | Accidentally exhumed 1 grave and radar detected 2000 anomalies in 2022 [63] |
Regina Indian Residential School | Regina | SK | 1890 | 1910, demolished in 1948 | PB | 24 | Radar detected 38 potential graves in 2012 [64] |
Round Lake Indian Residential School | Whitewood | SK | 1886 | 1950 | MD | 5 | |
St. Anthony's Indian Residential School (Onion Lake Catholic Indian Residential School) (Joseph Dion was pupil No. 7) [65] | Onion Lake | SK | 1891 | 1968 | RC | 0 | |
St. Barnabas Indian Residential School (Onion Lake Indian Residential School) | Onion Lake | SK | 1893 (burned down in 1943) | 1951 | AN | 0 | |
St. Phillips Indian Residential School (Keeseekoose Day School) | Kamsack | SK | 1899 | 1965 | RC | 6 | Radar detected 54 potential graves in 2022 [66] |
Thunderchild Indian Residential School (Delmas Indian Residential School) | Delmas | SK | 1901 | 1948 (burned down by students) | RC | 23 | Intentionally exhumed 1 body in 2021 [67] |
Aklavik Anglican Indian Residential School (All Saints Indian Residential School) | Shingle Point | NWT | 1927 | 1934 (moved to Aklavik due to overcrowding) | AN | 59 | |
Baptist Indian Residential School (Yukon Indian Residential School) | Whitehorse | YT | 1900 | 1968 | BP | 1 | |
Carcross Indian Residential School (Forty Mile Boarding School) | Fortymile | YT | 1891 | 1910 (moved to Carcross) | AN | 3 | |
Carcross Indian Residential School (Chooutla Indian Residential School; Caribou Crossing Indian Residential School) | Carcross | YT | 1910 | 1969 | AN | 24 | Radar detected 15 potential graves in 2023 [68] |
St. Paul's Indian Residential School (St. Paul's Hall) | Dawson | YT | 1920 | 1943 | AN | 6 | |
Yukon Hall (residences for local day school students) | Whitehorse | YT | 1956 | 1965 | AN | 0 | |
Tranquille School for Mentally Handicapped Indians (Stsmemelt Village) | Kamloops | BC | 1972 | 1978 | OO (Non-Denominational) | ||