The Municipality of Clarington acknowledges and recognizes that content related to residential schools may be distressing or triggering for some individuals, particularly survivors and their families. If you or someone you know needs support, please reach out to available resources, such as the

• National Indian Residential School Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419
• Indian Residential School Survivors Society – supporting survivors and families experiencing intergenerational trauma.  

Residential schools were government-sponsored religious schools that operated across Canada for over 160 years until the 1990s. Their purpose was to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture. More than 150,000 Métis, Inuit and First Nation children were forcibly taken from their families and communities, and tragically, many of these children never made it back home.

The effects of the abuse and mistreatment at residential schools continue to be felt by subsequent generations through intergenerational trauma.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) was created in 2008 to inform all Canadians about the lasting impact of Canada’s Residential Schools. The TRC documented the truth of survivors, their families, communities, and anyone personally affected by the residential school experience.

In 2015, the TRC issued 94 Calls to Action to address the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians. These actions are a call directed at various sectors of society, including governments, educational institutions, health services, and the general public, to take concrete steps towards reconciliation and healing.