Victoria – The Province has allocated $12 million to support First Nations throughout B.C. with investigative work at former residential school sites, as well as cultural and wellness supports for communities and members experiencing trauma from residential school site findings.
There are valid concerns that there will be findings at Coqualeeza and St Mary’s in the Fraser Valley. The first one to open in 1863 was St. Mary’s in Mission, which was also the last to close in 1984 after 121 years in operation.
“Finding evidence of a burial site for children who attended the former Kamloops residential school was a stark reminder of the atrocities of the Canadian residential school system and how those continue to be felt to this day,” said Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. “Many other sites throughout the province and country are still the source of unanswered questions and terrible pain. It is imperative that we take our lead from First Nations as we move forward, and we will continue to act quickly and in a co-ordinated way to support their needs.”
The Province has been co-ordinating closely with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Indigenous Services Canada and the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) to support First Nation-led responses. This new provincial funding will support First Nations with community-led strategies to identify, investigate, document, maintain, protect and/or commemorate residential school sites where children’s remains may be located, as well as to provide community wellness, cultural and mental health supports.
More information on how First Nations can access the provincial funding for site investigation work and cultural and wellness supports will be shared in the coming days.
Support services for residential school survivors in B.C.:
- The KUU-US Crisis Line Society provides a 24-hour, provincewide Indigenous crisis line for Indigenous peoples in B.C.
Adults, call 250 723-4050. Children and youth, call 250 723-2040. Toll-free: 1 800 588-8717 - First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line for Indigenous people across Canada:
Phone toll-free 1 855 242-3310 or chat online: https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/ - The Métis Crisis Line for Métis people in B.C., available 24 hours a day at 1 833 MétisBC: 1 833 638-4722
- Tsow Tun Le Lum for Indigenous peoples in B.C., phone: 1 888 403-3123
- Indian Residential School Survivors Society, phone: 1 800 721-0066 or 604 985-4464
- 24-Hour National Crisis Line for residential school survivors and others affected: 1 866 925-4419
FYI
- There were 18 residential schools that operated in B.C.
- The first one to open in 1863 was St. Mary’s in Mission, which was also the last to close in 1984 after 121 years in operation.
- In addition to residential schools, there were more than 100 day schools and three Indian hospitals in Prince Rupert, Nanaimo and Sardis.
