The Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs have launched an initiative to locate unmarked graves at the Thunderchild Delmas Catholic Residential School and the Battleford Industrial School. Tribal Chair, Chief Cheryl Kahpeaysewat of the Moosomin First Nation, announced funding from the federal government of over $2.783-million over three years to support the work to research, document and honour the memory of those who attended these two schools.

Kahpeaysewat says the searches will confirm what is known by all the Nations surrounding the Battlefords, that children lay in unmarked graves. She notes that it isn’t known if their deaths were recorded or where they are buried, but this funding will help to answer some of the questions from all of the affected families.

Battlefords Industrial School ran from 1883 to 1914 and recorded 107 deaths during that time. The Thunderchild Delmas Catholic Residential School also known as the St. Henri School ran from 1901 to 1948, and recorded 44 deaths during that time.

Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, says, “A very difficult job lies ahead for First Nations to research and explore the former sites.”