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.

[Alberni Student Residence [Alberni Residential School]] (1960s-1970s). Source: United Church of Canada Archives 2013.181P/76; The Children Remembered.
Home Communities of Students
Ahousaht, Arrandale, Boston Bar First Nation, Cowichan, Da'naxda'xw First Nation, Ditidaht First Nation, Dzawada̱ʼenux̱w First Nation, Gilford Island, Gitanmaax Band, Gitanyow, Gitga’at First Nation, Gitlaxt'aamiks, Gitsegukla First Nation, Gitwangak, Gitxaała Nation, Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Nations, Hagwilget Village (Tse-Kya), Haisla Nation, Helvikum, Heiltsuk Nation, Hesquiaht First Nation, Hupačasath First Nation, Huu-ay-aht First Nation, Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’ / Che:k:tles7et’h’ (Kyuquot / Checleseht First Nations), Kemano, Kilpahlas (Tl'ulpalus), Kispiox / Anspayaxw, Kitasoo / Xai’xais Nation, Kitselas Nation, Kitsumkalum Band, Koksilah (Xwulqw'selu), Kwawkeweth, Lax Kw’alaams Band, Malahat Nation, Mamalilikulla First Nation, Metlakatla First Nation, Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation, ʼNa̱mǥis First Nation, Neskonlith Indian Band, Nisga'a Nation, Nisga'a Village of Gingolx, Nisga'a Village of Gitwinksihlkw, Nisga'a Village of Laxgalts’ap, Nuxalk Nation, Old Massett Village, Pacheedaht First Nation, Pauquachin First Nation, Penelakut Tribe, Port Essington, Port Renfrew, Quamichan (Kwa'mutsun), Saanich, Saanichton, Saik'uz First Nation, Sc'ianew (Beecher Bay) First Nation, Sarita, Sik-E-Dakh (Glen Vowell Band), Skeena Crossing, Skeena River, Skidegate, Skowkale First Nation, Skuppah Indian Band, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), Snaw-naw-as (Nanoose First Nation), Snuneymuxw First Nation, Somenos (S-amuna'), Songhees Nation, Soowahlie First Nation, Stz’uminus First Nation, Sumas First Nation, Sweetgrass, Terrace, Tla’amin Nation (ɬaʔəmen Nation), Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, Tlowitsis Nation, Toquaht Nation, Tsawout First Nation (SȾÁUTW̱ FIRST NATION), Tseshaht First Nation [c̓išaaʔatḥ], Tseycum (Union Bay Indian Reserve No.4), Ts'uubaa-asatx First Nation, Tzeachten (Ch’iyaqtel) First Nation, Uchucklesaht Tribe, Wei Wai Kai First Nation, Wei Wai Kum First Nation, Witset First Nation, Wuikinuxv Nation, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ
Note on Home Communities
The “home communities" mentioned above come from the school narratives created by government researchers in the Indian Residential School litigation process. Here the communities are described as “bands” and “reserves.” We have tried to update the names to communities' current, preferred names (these names are hyperlinked in the list above). In instances where we have not been sure which community is being referenced, we have left the name as it appears in the school narrative and unlinked. The names of cultural groups have been updated and the original name placed in square brackets.

These lists on the school records are not comprehensive. In a few cases the community names have been supplemented with information from a school’s quarterly returns, but this has not been done consistently. This project is an iterative, ongoing one. If you are aware of other community names that we should include in this list, or would like to comment on those we have updated, please email us at irshdc.reference@ubc.ca.

Alberni (BC)

Dates of Operation
1892-1973
Settlement Agreement Dates
The Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement recognized only the following as the dates of operation for Alberni Residential School: July 1, 1900 - August 31, 1973.
Description
In 1893, the Presbyterian Church built the Alberni Girls Home on Vancouver Island a few miles outside Port Alberni. It was taken over by the United Church in 1925. The school was destroyed by fire in 1917, 1937, and 1941 and rebuilt following each fire. The West Coast Council of Indian Chiefs campaigned for the school’s closing in the 1960s, charging that children in need of care were being dumped into the school. The school was eventually closed in 1973. In 1995 a former supervisor at the school from 1948 to 1968 was convicted of 18 counts of indecent assault against Aboriginal students and sentenced to 11 years in jail. (National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation)
Denomination
Presbyterian Church, United Church of Canada

More Information

Alternate Name(s)
Alberni Boarding School
Alberni Girls Home
Alberni Indian Boarding School
Alberni Indian Girls Home
Alberni Indian Residential School
Alberni Indian Student Residence
Alberni Industrial Home
Alberni Presbyterian Boarding School
Alberni Residential School
Alberni School
Alberni Student Residence
Albernie Residential School
Port Alberni Residential School
Presbyterian Boarding School
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Map Information

Location
"Point is on the site of Alberni Residential School dormitory building that was built in 1939 and demolished in 1983" (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]

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