Survivors of the Former Kamloops Indian Residential School, Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc, and the Government of Canada unveiled plaques to honour the national historic significance of the Kamloops Indian Residential School Français
This commemoration is an important part of the Government of Canada's response to Call to Action 79 in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's final report.
TAKING CARE: We recognize our efforts to show solidarity with Indigenous Peoples and honour Survivors and families may become a painful reminder to those who have suffered hardships through generations of government policies that have been harmful to Indigenous peoples. A National Residential School Crisis Line is available to provide support to former residential school students where you can access emotional crisis referral services.
Please call the Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419 if you or someone you know is triggered while reading this. We encourage all those who need some support to reach out and know that support is always there for you through the Hope for Wellness Helpline at 1-855-242-3310 (toll-free) or the online chat at hopeforwellness.ca, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also find information on how to obtain other health supports from the Government of Canada website.
SECWEPEMCÚL̓ECW, KAMLOOPS, BC, Oct. 31, 2025 /CNW/ - The Former Kamloops Indian Residential School was part of a system of residential schools for Indigenous children officially established by the federal government in the 19th and 20th centuries. Born of colonial policies in Canadian history, this system removed Indigenous children from their families and communities, not only denying them their traditions, language, and culture, but also exposing children to grievous harm and death. The residential school system is a tragedy that has adversely affected generations of Indigenous Peoples. The Government of Canada is committed to reconciliation and renewed relationships with Indigenous Peoples, based on a recognition of rights, respect, collaboration, and partnership.
Last week, Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc, survivors of the Kamloops Indian Residential School, and Parks Canada recognized the national historic significance of the Kamloops Indian Residential school. Two plaques were unveiled at a ceremony in Kamloops. The first has a text written in Secwepemctsín, the language of the local First Nation, and in Chinook. The second plaque has text in English and in French. The inclusion of Secwepemctsín and Chinook honours the languages that Indigenous Peoples in this region have spoken for generations. The announcement was made by Grant Wade, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity and Minister responsible for Official Languages.
Between 1890 and 1969, children between the ages of four and 18 attended Kamloops Indian Residential School. They were brought from over 108 communities and at least 38 Indigenous nations from across British Columbia and beyond, including the Secwépemc, Stó:lō, St'át'imc, Nłeʔkepmxc, and Syilx. Forcibly removed from their homes, these children experienced physical, emotional, spiritual, and sexual abuse, forced labour, malnutrition, inadequate and overcrowded living conditions, poor healthcare, and high rates of infectious diseases and death.
Run by the Roman Catholic congregations of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and the Sisters of St. Ann, the Kamloops Indian Residential School was the largest institution in a system designed to carry out what the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada described as cultural genocide. Many, including Pope Francis and the Canadian House of Commons, have referred to it as genocide. The traumas experienced by Survivors have had profound, lifelong, and intergenerational consequences that continue today.
The former Kamloops residential school is one of the few remaining residential school sites in Canada with a large group of original buildings and landscapes. It bears witness in physical form to the experiences of generations of children who lived and died there, as well as to the broader history of the residential school system in all its phases. Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc members chose to preserve several of its buildings to commemorate and teach about the impacts of residential schools on children and families and to serve as a place for teaching Secwépemc language and culture as an act of reclamation.
The Government of Canada, through the recommendations from the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, recognizes significant persons, places, and events that shaped our country as one way of helping Canadians and youth connect with their past. The designation process under Parks Canada's National Program of Historical Commemoration is largely driven by public nominations. To date, more than 2,280 designations have been made nationwide. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that the voices of Indigenous peoples are heard, and that this history is never forgotten.
Quotes
"Last week's unveiling of the National Historic Site designation for the former Kamloops Indian Residential School marked a profound act of truth-telling and reclamation. For generations, our Survivors, Elders, and families have carried these truths of loss, survival, and strength. This designation affirms what we have always known: that this land, these stories, and the spirits of the children belong to the Secwépemc. Through our laws, language, and ways of knowing, we continue to protect and honour this sacred site, ensuring that the truth can never again be denied, silenced, or erased."
Kúkpi7 Rosanne Casimir
Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc
"This commemoration ceremony honours the Survivors of the Kamloops Indian Residential School, whose strength, courage, and resilience in the face of profound injustice continue to guide our path toward truth, healing, and reconciliation. The designation of the school as a national historic site stands as a solemn recognition of the painful legacy of residential schools in Canada and a tribute to the enduring spirit of the children, families, and communities who continue to live with their lasting impacts today. May this place forever remind us of our shared responsibility to remember, to learn, and to ensure that such harm is never repeated."
The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity and Minister responsible for Official Languages
Quick Facts
- The Kamloops Indian Residential School is being commemorated at the request of Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc members.
- Parks Canada and Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc members undertook a collaborative process to identify the historical importance of this former school and co-develop the plaque text that was presented to the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
- Established in 1919, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada advises the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages on the national historic significance of people, places and events that have shaped Canadian history. With the participation of Parks Canada, the Board ensures that subjects of national historic significance are recognized and that these important stories are told to Canadians.
- Virtually every nomination currently submitted to the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada are made by members of the public. For more information on the Board and on how to submit a nomination, please visit the Parks Canada website: https://parks.canada.ca/culture/designation/proposer-nominate.
Related Document
Backgrounder: The Former Kamloops Indian Residential School
SOURCE Parks Canada (HQ)
Contacts: Hali Moreland, Public Relations and Communications Officer, Parks Canada, 782-641-5993, [email protected]; Media Relations contact for Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc, Racelle Kooy, Media Relations, Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc, 250-819-7167, [email protected]
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