We welcome you to the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre.

The records on our site emerge from the cultural and physical genocide that the Canadian government and churches conducted through the Indian Residential School System, including the ongoing impacts.

Bearing witness to these records may become overwhelming. If you are a Survivor or an Intergenerational Survivor and would like support, you can call the 24-hour National Indian Residential School Crisis Line at:

1-866-925-4419

Please click the button below for other cultural and mental health resources.

Wellness Resources
[Fort Smith] (1973). Source: Northwest Territories Archives.

Breynat Hall (NWT)

Dates of Operation
December 27, 1957 - June 30, 1975
Description
Breynat Hall was part of a Canadian Government project begun in the mid-1950s to build day schools and hostels in larger northern communities. Controlled by Canada until 1969, the facility was operated by the Roman Catholic Church. In 1969 Canada transferred control to the Territorial government while the Catholic Church continued to run the hostel under existing agreements. Although Breynat Hall and Grandin College were both operated by the Roman Catholic Church and were both located in Fort Smith, the two facilities, apart from sharing a few staff, were operated as separate institutions. (National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation)
Denomination
Catholic Church

More Information

Alternate Name(s)
Breynant Hall
Breynat Hall Student Residence
Fort Smith
Fort Smith Federal School Hostel
Fort Smith Hostel
Fort Smith School Hostel
Permalink

Map Information

Location
"Point is on Breynat Hall buildings that were constructed in 1957 and was used as a hostel until 1975. The buildings are now used as student housing for the Thebacha Campus of Aurora College" (Orlandini, 2019).
Location Credit
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. The school/hostel location data was collected by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission / National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Morgan Hite (Atlas of Indian Residential Schools of Canada), Stephanie Pyne (Residential Schools Land Memory Mapping Project) and Rosa Orlandini (Map and GIS Librarian, York University Libraries). The location data and associated attribute data was enhanced, revised and updated by Rosa Orlandini, in consultation with the Archivists at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
Location Source
Orlandini, Rosa, 2019, "Residential Schools Locations Dataset (Shapefile format)", https://doi.org/10.5683/SP2/FJG5TG, Borealis, V3, UNF:6:TTc1mMvx2BlBqBgIN05xVw== [fileUNF]

Download as PDF

Discussion

Do you have a story or comment about this school?

Records

Loading...
TOP