Finding and documenting the locations of Residential Schools in Canada

Maps have been created to depict the colonization of North America for hundreds of years. With the publication of the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions findings, reports and Calls to Actions, many researchers are now looking at historical maps through the lens of decolonization, as well as using these maps to help tell the truth about the impact of colonial policies on Indigenous peoples in Canada. In 2017, the researcher in collaboration with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, embarked on a journey to find the precise location of Indian Residential Schools in Canada, create a geospatial dataset of residential school locations and compile an extensive bibliography of primary and secondary sources. This presentation will discuss the cartographic and textual sources that were used to find the locations of the schools, as well as discuss the methodology, challenges, results and next steps of the project.