These destructive systems were imposed upon Indigenous peoples as part of a broader effort to erase their rich cultures, languages, and identities, with the ultimate aim of silencing their histories. While the formal federal residential school system began around 1883, the origins of this inhumane institution can be traced back to the 1830s, when the Anglican Church established a residential school in Brantford, Ontario—decades before Confederation in 1867. Prior to this, churches had been building schools specifically for Indigenous children since the mid-1600s.

The Canadian government and churches built the residential school system as a means to address the so-called “Indian question”—the deeply racist perception that Indigenous peoples were a barrier to the construction of the newly forming nation of Canada. Modeled after similar systems in the United States and British colonies, these schools aimed to transform Indigenous children into Catholics and Protestants, and to convert them into “good, industrious workers.” The system, rooted in a belief of racial, cultural, and spiritual superiority, sought to sever Indigenous children from their traditions and culture. Additionally, it enabled settlers to lay claim to lands that had been occupied by Indigenous peoples for centuries.

In the years following Confederation, the colonization of Indigenous territories intensified, and the Canadian government formalized and expanded the residential school system with a single, devastating goal in mind: to accelerate the assimilation of Indigenous peoples into settler society. This system, built on racial bias and a toxic sense of superiority, rapidly spread throughout the West and North, and soon, residential schools were established in nearly every province and territory across Canada.

Each year, on September 30th, Canada honours the countless First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children who were forcibly taken from their families and communities and sent to these residential schools—often thousands of kilometers away from their homes. These children endured unimaginable physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, suffered from poor sanitary conditions, malnutrition, forced labor, and disease. The systematic indoctrination of Indigenous children led to a profound loss of language, culture, and identity. 

The stories of residential school survivors offer critical insight into the harrowing experiences they endured and the far-reaching impact this system has had on survivors, their families, and their communities—echoing across generations. For decades, survivors have demanded recognition and justice, holding both governments and churches accountable for the generational trauma imposed upon Indigenous peoples. Their tireless advocacy led to the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, official apologies, and the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Today, is marked as a day to reflect, mourn, and honour those who have survived the residential school system, and the children who never made it home.