List of Indian residential schools in Canada
Updated: 11/6/2025, 12:53:50 AM Wikipedia source
The following is a list of schools that operated as part of the Canadian Indian residential school system. The first opened in 1828, and the last closed in 1997. These schools operated in all Canadian provinces and territories except Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick. 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. 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. 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.
Tables
| Abbreviation | Religious denomination |
| (AN) | Anglican Church |
| (BP) | Baptist |
| (MD) | Methodist |
| (OO) | Other |
| (PB) | Presbyterian Church |
| (RC) | Roman Catholic Church |
| (UC) | United Church of Canada |
| Name | Location | Province/Territory | Opened | Closed | Denomination | Documented Deaths | Gravesites |
| Assumption (Hay Lake) Indian Residential School | 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) | Lac la Biche (1862-1898) Saddle Lake (1898-1931) (Saddle Lake) St. Paul (1898-1931) | AB | 1862 | 1970 (became the first Native-administered school in Canada) | RC | 43 | Accidentally exhumed multiple graves in 2004; intentionally exhumed 1 grave in 2024 |
| 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) | Blackfoot Crossing (1900-1909) Cluny (Siksika 146) | 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 |
| Edmonton (Poundmaker) Residential School | St. Albert (Poundmaker) | AB | 1924 (formerly Red Deer Industrial School) | 1968 | MD | 33 | |
| Ermineskin Indian Residential School | Hobbema (Ermineskin) | AB | 1915 | 1973 | RC | 15 | |
| St. Mary’s (Blood) Indian Residential School (Immaculate Conception Boarding School) | 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 (North Camp Residential School / White Eagle's Boarding School / Short Robe Boarding School) | Gleichen (Blackfoot) | AB | 1894 | 1971 | AN | 41 | |
| Sacred Heart (Peigan) Residential School | 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 | Sarcee Junction, Calgary (Sarcee/T’suu Tina) | AB | 1892 | 1921 | AN | 35 | |
| St. Albert (Youville) Residential School | St. Albert | AB | 1873 | 1948 | RC | 73 | |
| Whitefish Lake (St. Andrew's) Residential School | Whitefish Lake (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 |
| Joussard (St. Bruno's) Residential School | Joussard | AB | 1913 | 1969 | RC | 30 | Radar detected 88 potential graves in 2022 |
| St. Cyprian's (Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Home) Residential School (Victoria Jubilee Home for Indian Children) | Brocket (Peigan) | AB | 1900 (new school built in 1926) | 1962 | AN | 25 | |
| Sturgeon Lake (Calais) Residential School (St. François/Francis Xavier Boarding school) | Calais | AB | 1907 | 1961 | RC | 45 | |
| Fort Vermilion (St. Henri) Residential School | Fort Vermilion | AB | 1903 | 1968 | RC | 21 | |
| Wabasca (St. John’s) Residential School | 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 |
| 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 | Meares Island (1900-1971) Tofino (1971-1983) | BC | 1900 | 1983 | RC | 46 | |
| Kamloops (St. Louis) Residential School (Kamloops Industrial School) | Kamloops (Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc) | BC | 1890 | 1978 | RC | 82 | Radar detected 200 potential graves in 2021 |
| Kitimaat Indian Residential School (Elizabeth Long Memorial School for Girls) | 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 |
| Kuper Island Indian Residential School | Penelakut Island | BC | 1890 | 1975 | RC | 171 | Radar detected 160 potential graves in 2021 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Yale Indian Residential School | Yale | BC | 1900 | 1920 | AN | 5 | |
| 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 |
References
- Indian has been used because of the historical nature of the article and the precision of the name. It was, and continue
- Indian Residential Schools Settlement - Official Court Websitehttp://residentialschoolsettlement.ca/schools.html
- "Search by School." National Student Memorial Register. National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.https://memorial.nctr.ca/?page_id=2078
- "Residential Schools"https://web.archive.org/web/20100503181813/http://www.afn.ca/article.asp?id=766
- "Prince Albert Grand Council Indian Residential School Virtual Museum"https://web.archive.org/web/20151218162333/http://www.rsmuseum.ca/?page_id=2079
- "Mission and Justice Relationships (Anglican Indian and Eskimo Residential Schools)"http://www.anglican.ca/relationships/histories
- CBC Newshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-residential-schools-kamloops-faq-1.6051632
- "Newfoundland and Labrador residential schools healing and commemoration"https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1511531626107/1539962009489
- "Tearful Justin Trudeau apologizes to N.L. residential school survivors | CBC News"https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/justin-trudeau-labrador-residential-schools-apology-1.4417443
- "N.L. residential school survivors' lawyers reach $50M settlement with Ottawa | CBC News"https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/residential-school-case-update-1.3574080
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliationhttps://nctr.ca/residential-schools/
- "Memorial"https://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1477
- "Memorial"https://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1479
- "Human remains found near Alberta residential school site likely children, First Nation says: Saddle Lake Cree Nation examining possible Blue Quills residential school burial sites"https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/human-remains-found-near-alberta-residential-school-site-likely-children-first-nation-says-1.6457286
- Global Newshttps://globalnews.ca/news/10247621/childs-remains-found-at-site-of-former-residential-school-northeast-of-edmonton/
- "Memorial"https://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1481
- "'They have to be at peace:' Whereabouts of remains of 39 children's bodies still unknown at Dunbow Industrial School"https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/article/they-have-to-be-at-peace-whereabouts-of-remains-of-39-childrens-bodies-still-unknown-at-dunbow-industrial-school/
- "Memorial"https://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1485
- Larsson, Paula. 2013 October 26. "Edmonton Industrial School." Eugenics Archive. Retrieved May 31, 2021.https://eugenicsarchive.ca/discover/institutions/residential/526b7f48dc1dc8b865000009
- "Memorial"https://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1517
- Old Sun (Blackfoot) Residential Schoolhttps://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1503
- Sacred Heart (Peigan) Residential Schoolhttp://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1505
- Sarcee (St. Barnabas) Residential Schoolhttps://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1507
- St. Albert (Youville) Residential Schoolhttps://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1509
- "Final Summary of the Phase 1 Ground-Penetrating Radar Search at Grouard Mission, AB"https://www.kapaweno.com/single-post/irs-phase1
- APTN National Newshttps://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/st-brunos-residential-school-phase-one-report/
- St. Cyprian's Residential Schoolhttps://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1931
- Sturgeon Lake (Calais) Residential Schoolhttps://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1521
- Fort Vermilion (St. Henri) Residential Schoolhttps://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1489
- Wabasca (St. John’s) Residential Schoolhttps://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1523
- Potential unmarked graves found at Port Alberni residential schoolhttps://globalnews.ca/video/9502415/potential-unmarked-graves-found-at-port-alberni-residential-school/
- "Memorial"https://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1446
- The Globe and Mailhttps://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-kamloops-residential-school-unmarked-graves-discovery-update/
- "Memorial"https://memorial.nctr.ca/?p=1454
- Global Newshttps://globalnews.ca/news/7996606/cranbrook-residential-school-graves-chief/
- Times Colonisthttps://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/archival-research-has-found-171-confirmed-deaths-at-kuper-island-residential-school-50-more-than-previously-thought-11032118
- National Posthttps://nationalpost.com/opinion/the-year-of-the-graves-how-the-worlds-media-got-it-wrong-on-residential-school-graves
- "40 unmarked children's graves found at former residential school in Sechelt, B.C."https://globalnews.ca/news/9639165/40-unmarked-childrens-graves-residential-school-sechelt-bc/
- "93 potential burial sites found near former B.C. residential school"https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/williams-lake-st-josephs-residential-school-1.6326467
- CBC Newshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/st%C3%B3-l%C5%8D-nation-residential-schools-missing-children-unmarked-burials-1.6974053
- "Finding Indigenous Children: The Brandon Indian Residential School Project"https://web.archive.org/web/20210613190940/http://www.sfu.ca/university-communications/media-releases/2021/06/finding-indigenous-children--the-brandon-indian-residential-scho.html
- "Search in Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba identifies 190 anomalies in the ground"https://www.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg/article/search-in-sagkeeng-first-nation-in-manitoba-identifies-190-anomalies-in-the-ground/
- CBChttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/pine-creek-first-nation-rcmp-investigation-residential-school-1.6616613
- CJOBhttps://globalnews.ca/news/9906433/chief-excavation-manitoba-church-basement/
- CBChttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/ocn-cadaver-dogs-1.7310185
- "Ground searches underway or planned at most of Manitoba's former residential school sites"https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/residential-school-site-ground-searches-1.6468557
- "Saint-Boniface – École industrielle | Société historique de Saint-Boniface"https://shsb.mb.ca/saint-boniface-ecole-industrielle/
- CBC Newshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/fort-providence-graves-1.6049005
- Cabin Radiohttps://cabinradio.ca/68392/news/dehcho/fort-providence-plans-search-for-unmarked-graves/
- Yukon Newshttps://www.yukon-news.com/home2/deninu-kue-first-nation-finds-remains-of-five-children-near-fort-resolution-8123942
- Beach Metro Community Newshttps://www.beachmetro.com/2011/10/19/east-school-wayward-girls-flourished/
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- "Task force investigating residential school in Brantford, Ont. reveal first case"https://globalnews.ca/news/8269684/residential-school-investigation-brantford-first-case/
- CBChttps://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/search-for-unmarked-graves-continues-at-mohawk-institute-residential-school-site-1.7607235
- www.nrsss.cahttp://www.nrsss.ca/Resource_Centre/PelicanLakeIRS/PelicanLakeIRS_RG10_Volume6216_File470-23_Part1_DEATHS_1935-1949_wm.pdf
- CBChttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/wauzhushk-onigum-first-nation-ground-search-alerts-1.7012715
- sicc.sk.cahttps://web.archive.org/web/20170408082324/http://www.sicc.sk.ca/archive/saskindian/a75sep3006.htm
- "Cowessess First Nation Welcomes Agreement Between Canada and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to Transition Residential School Records"https://www.cowessessfn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/January-20-2022-Cowessess-Response-to-Sharing-of-Records.pdf
- "St. Michael's (Duck Lake)"https://nctr.ca/residential-schools/saskatchewan/st-michaels-duck-lake/
- cp24.comhttps://www.cp24.com/news/just-the-beginning-14-graves-found-at-former-residential-school-in-saskatchewan-1.5869337
- "Ground radar at historic La Ronge cemetery nearly complete"https://larongenow.com/2021/12/23/discovery-of-unmarked-graves-a-turning-point-for-llrib-in-2021
- "Cemetery and Grave Site Research - IRS Narratives Review"http://archives.algomau.ca/main/sites/default/files/2015-050_001_008.pdf
- "'There was a heaviness': Alberta anthropologists locate unmarked graves of residential schoolchildren"https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/unmarked-graves-residential-school-alberta-saskatchewan-1.5045182
- APTN National Newshttps://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/search-finds-remains-of-a-child-at-former-quappelle-indian-residential-school-in-saskatchewan/
- The Regina Indian Industrial School (1891 - 1910)https://www.riisca.ca/information/
- www.thecanadianencyclopedia.cahttps://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/joseph-francis-dion
- "Sask. First Nation discovers 54 unmarked graves at the site of former residential schools"https://web.archive.org/web/20220215180610/https://regina.ctvnews.ca/sask-first-nation-discovers-54-unmarked-graves-at-the-site-of-former-residential-schools-1.5782102
- Global Newshttps://globalnews.ca/news/8401795/delmas-residential-school-search-for-remains/
- "Search of former Yukon residential school locates 15 potential unmarked graves:Fifteen anomalies were found at the former Chooutla Indian residential school in Carcross, Yukon"https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/search-of-former-yukon-residential-school-locates-15-potential-unmarked-graves/