The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation arrives at a critical time in Canada as Indigenous communities find the remains of children at unmarked graves at former residential school sites. In 2015, Justice Murray Sinclair, who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, estimated more than 6,000 children died at these schools and never returned home to their families. Thus far, the numbers have been substantial and devastating.

Within TransLink’s service area, we acknowledge, respect, and celebrate the 10 local Indigenous Nations on whose territories we are fortunate to live, work and operate. We recognize that in planning and managing the region’s transportation system we have a role to play in supporting reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

We urge everyone to recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as we honour residential school survivors, victims, and their families. It’s also a day to embark on or continue your reconciliation journey through continuous learning about residential schools and the genocide of Indigenous peoples.

• Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC)’s 94 “calls to action”
• Find out at native-land.ca whose Indigenous lands you live, work and play on.
• View the University of Victoria’s library guide, listing educational and scholarly resources related to the remembrance of the many children lost from Canada’s residential schools.
• Read an Indigenous-authored book, honouring residential school survivors.
• Wear an orange shirt to raise awareness about Canada’s residential school system and to honour survivors.
  • Orange Shirt Day Society creates awareness that supports residential school reconciliation and the campaign, “Every Child Matters”.
• Start a conversation with those around you about reconciliation.
• Enroll in the University of Alberta’s Indigenous Canada course, a 12-lesson Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) that explores Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada.
• Support the Indian Residential School Survivor Society (IRSSS), a provincial organization that has been providing physical, emotional, and spiritual support for survivors for 20 years.