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.

No title (unknown date). Source: Deschâtelets-NDC Archives.
Home Communities of Students
Agassiz, Ahousaht, Boston Bar First Nation, Chawathil First Nation, Cheam First Nation, Coldwater Indian Band, Cowichan, Creekside, D’Aroy, Daroy, Deroche, Ditidaht First Nation, Ehattesaht First Nation, Harrison, Hesquiaht First Nation, Homalco First Nation, Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’ / Che:k’tles7et’h’ (Kyuquot / Checleseht First Nations), Kanaka Bar Indian Band, Katie, Katz, Katzie First Nation, Klahoose First Nation, Kwakwelth, Kwaw-Kwaw-apilt, kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem First Nation), Laidlaw, Lake Babine Nation, Langley, Lillooet, Líl̓wat Nation, Lyackson First Nation,Lytton First Nation, Malahat Nation, Matsqui First Nation, Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation, N'Quatqua, Nicomen Indian Band, Nuchatlaht, Osoyoos Indian Band, Pacheedaht First Nation, Pauquachin First Nation, Penelakut Tribe, Pocum, Popeum, Popkum First Nation (Pópkw’em), Ruby Creek, SAMAHQUAM, Sardis, scəẃaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen First Nation), Seabird Island Band, Seabird, Sekw’el’was (Cayoose Creek Band), Semiahmoo First Nation, Seton Portage, Shxw’ōwhámél First Nation, Skatin Nations, Skookum Ok., Skowkale First Nation, Skwah First Nation, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), Slave, Snaw-naw-as (Nanoose First Nation), Snuneymuxw First Nation, Spuzzum First Nation, Sq'éwlets, Sq’ewá:lxw (Skawahlook First Nation), Squiala First Nation, Sts'ailes, Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation, Stz’uminus First Nation, Sumas First Nation, T’exelc - The Williams Lake First Nation, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, Tla’amin Nation (ɬaʔəmen Nation), Ts'kw'aylaxw First Nation, Tsal’alh, Tsartlip First Nation, Tsawout First Nation (SȾÁUTW̱ FIRST NATION), Tzeachten (Ch’iyaqtel) First Nation, Uchucklesaht Tribe, Uhehalis, Union Bar, Xa’xtsa (Douglas First Nation), Xaxli’p, Xwísten (Bridge River Indian Band), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Yakweakwioose First Nation (Yeqwyeqwí:ws), Yale First Nation
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.

St. Mary's (BC)

Dates of Operation
July 1, 1867 - June 30, 1984
Description
Missionaries opened a boarding school at the St. Mary mission in the Fraser Valley in 1863. The school was relocated in 1882 and a new school was built in 1933. In its early years the school made little use of corporal punishment, but this policy was dropped as the school was increasingly integrated into the federal residential school system. The school closed in 1984. In 2004 a former school employee was convicted of 12 counts of indecent assault in relation to his time at the school and was sentenced to three years in prison. (National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation)
Denomination
Catholic Church

More Information

Alternate Name(s)
Mission
St. Mary
St. Mary's Mission
St. Mary's School
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Map Information

Location
First and second locations,1863-1961: "Point is on the site of the St. Mary's Indian Residential School (1884-1961), specifically the three story building that was used as the mission house, boy's dormitory, chapel and a classroom. The girls dormitory, built in 1884, was located 100 metres north-east of the mission house. Numerous farm and workshop building were constructed in 1880s. From 1863 to 1884, the mission and school was located below the hill from the cemetery along the river at approximately 49.13816 -122.281571" (Orlandini, 2019).
 
Third location, 1961-1984: "Point is on the site of the St. Mary's Indian Residential School building from 1961 to 1984. In 2005, the land and buildings were returned to the Sto:lo Nation and the land regained its Sto:lo name, Pekw'xe:Yles" (Orlandini, 2019).
Location Credit
Rosa Orlandini and Morgan Hite. 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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