HEALING AND RECONCILIATION FOR COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES
Marking Change
For 60 years, St. Paul’s Indian Residential School operated in North Vancouver, where Indigenous children were removed from their families and forced through the gates under the guise of education.
Many Squamish, Musqueam and Burrard children, along with others from communities as far away as Kyuquot on Vancouver Island, were taken. Its impact in the region was profound and its effects have been long-lasting.
Since 2021, the Squamish Nation have stepped in to name and honour every child who attended St. Paul’s. The Yuusnewas project carefully combs archival records, private collections, and survivor testimony to build an accurate record of each child and their experience in the school. With every new discovery, families are brought closer to answers that have been missing for generations, and survivors and descendants are able to face their history. To honour these children, a cedar-carved monument currently stands and bears metal plaques inscribed with the names of those who have been identified. Yet, many of these records remain incomplete.
As part of the next stage of the project, Squamish Nation is developing a digital memorial to serve as a living, updateable database where families can search for and contribute to new information as it appears. The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) is proud to support this important work, to help ensure every child is remembered and their stories preserved with the respect, truth and dignity they deserve. This project stands as a lasting testament to help ensure the truth of St. Paul’s is accessible and accurate, providing a source of education and remembrance for all.
Archdiocese of Vancouver
