Use this overview to learn how to gather information about Indian Residential Schools. The records discussed in this guide are about schools that First Nations and Inuit attended, although many members of the Métis Nation also attended residential schools.
Indian Residential Schools is the legal term recognized by the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA). From here on, we'll refer to them as residential schools.
Harmful content
We understand that archives can be painful for Indigenous people. Reading old records about genocide, assimilation and oppression, with biased and hurtful language, can cause distress and harm.
To read more or find support, see the notice about harmful content in LAC’s collection.
Historical language
In your research, you may encounter historical language referring to Indigenous Canadians that is considered offensive today. Please read the notice about historical language in LAC’s collection.
On this page
Before you start
It may help to gather some information, such as:
- Name
- Date of birth
- School(s) attended (or community where school was located)
- dates of attendance, if known (You can still search without the exact dates)
The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement only includes those schools under federal jurisdiction. It does not include:
- those who attended day schools
- schools operated by non-federal government authorities
- schools in Newfoundland and Labrador
- Métis who attended Métis boarding schools
Many more documents were produced by provincial, territorial, and religious administrations. These can be found in their respective archives.
Places to look
There are several ways to approach researching Residential Schools, depending on what type of record you are looking for.
1. Federal government resources
Multiple departments of the federal government created records related to Residential Schools and those can be found through Collection Search:
- Go to Collection Search.
- Select Advanced Search.
- In the Any of these words box type “residential school” or “Industrial school” or “pensionnats”
Below are some examples to show the types of materials you may find in Collection Search.
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Indian and Inuit Affairs Program sous-fonds (part of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development fonds) (RG10): Many types of records, including: admission and discharge records, school establishment, administration files, inspection reports, transportation of students, quarterly returns, nominal rolls, principal's monthly reports, medical records, training of teachers, and plans of buildings.
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Administration Program, Indian and Inuit Affairs Program sous-fonds (part of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development fonds) (RG 22): Deputy Minister's records and some Central Registry files, 1922–1983. Funding, curriculum and administration of Indian schools.
- Vols. 330-442, 496-97, and 632-669 and accessions 1983-84/231 and 1983-84/247
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Northern Affairs Program sous-fonds (part of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development fonds) (RG85): Inuit and Indian social and economic conditions, general, after 1920. Includes schools. Native education. General files, including records on policy, funding of church and territorial schools, curricula, and files relating to specific schools, ca.1906 ff. see also liaison files with the individual churches. The "Eskimo Book of Wisdom", ca. 1930–1946 (developed for and used in northern schools).
- Vols. 535-546, 567-613, 614-669, 1129-1131, 1260-1261, 1339, and 1434, and accessions 1985-86/220, 2003-02300-3 and 2006-00018-7
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Legal files, Office of the Departmental Legal Advisor, Indian Affairs Branch (part of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration fonds) (RG26): Lawyers' working files on a wide variety of legal and policy issues, ca. 1945–1966. These include drafting regulations on Indian schools and estates.
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Yukon Territorial records sous-fonds (part of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development fonds) (RG 91): Schools for Aboriginal people funded by the Department of Indian Affairs, 1926–1948.
- V Vol. 9 file 1491A (reel M-2834), vol. 11 file 2335 (reel M-2835), and vol. 74 file 79 (reel M-2882)
2. Church records
Several churches across Canada were actively involved in running Residential Schools. We hold some church records that contain information about the schools.
- Go to Collection Search.
- Select Advanced Search.
- In the Any of these words box type “residential school” or “Industrial school” or “pensionnats”
For example, our records include:
- Church Missionary Society [Anglican]: microfilm and microfiche copies of headquarters correspondence and accounts, reports and journals from mission posts, and letters sent to the missionaries across North America.
- Colonial and Continental Church Society [Anglican]: microfilm copies of minutes, reports, publications and other records of the CCCS and predecessors.
- Reverend Allen Salt: Methodist missionary, after teaching at Alderville Industrial School. He kept journals 1854–1855 and 1874–1899 at various missions.
3. Private Records of Superintendents General of Indian Affairs
We hold personal records for some of the Superintendents General of Indian Affairs. Some examples include:
- David Laird: Served as Minister of the Interior, 1873–1876; Lieutenant-Governor of the North-West Territories, 1876–1881; and Indian Commissioner for the North-West Territories, Manitoba and Keewatin, 1898–1914.
- Sir John A. Macdonald: Served as Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, 1878–1887 (Minister of the Interior, 1878–1883, and Privy Council 1883–1887).
- Hayter Reed: Served as Indian Agent for Battleford District in 1881; Assistant Commissioner for the North West Territories in 1884, Commissioner in 1888 and Deputy Superintendent General of Indian Affairs in 1893.
- Edgar Dewdney: Served as Indian commissioner for Manitoba and the Northwest Territories, 1879-1888; Lieutenant-Governor of the Northwest Territories, 1881-1888; Minister of the Interior and Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, 1888–1892.
- Thomas Mayne Daly: Served as Minister of the Interior and Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, 1892–1896.
- Clifford Sifton: Served as Minister of the Interior and Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, 1896–1905.
4. Photographs of residential schools and students
You can find photos of residential schools and students in Collection Search.
Tips on how to find photos
We suggest using keywords in both languages, as they can provide different results.
- Go to Collection Search.
- Select Advanced Search.
- In the Any of these words box type “residential school” or “Industrial school” or “pensionnats”
- Limit your search results to images
Examples of photographic collections include:
5. Maps and plans of residential schools
We have maps and plans of Residential schools. You can find these using collection search.
- Go to Collection Search.
- Select Advanced Search.
- In the “Any of these words” box type “residential school” or “pensionnats”
- Limit your search results to maps and cartographic materials
Examples from our records include:
6. Published histories
We have biographies and published sources on the Residential school system and experience. You can find these by doing a keyword search in Aurora.
Examples of works in our collection include:
Search tips
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There are many different types of records related to residential schools. The following types of government records are likely to mention the names of students:
- Attendance and discharge forms
- Applications for admission
- Applications for educational assistance
- Daily registers
- Records of death for pupils in residential schools
- Nominal rolls
- Principal’s monthly reports
- Pupil withdrawal forms
- Quarterly returns
- Transportation records for students
- The department responsible for residential schools changed over time.
Access the records
If the item is restricted, use the ATIP tool to request a copy.
Records that are digitized
If you find a record of interest, there may be a digital image. Some of these are available through Collection Search. Others, particularly digitized microfilms, are available through Héritage.
Records that are not digitized
For records that are not digitized, you will need to see them in person. If you cannot visit us in person, you may want to order copies or hire a researcher.
Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement
The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) ended the largest class action suit in Canadian history. The lawsuit was filed because of the damage inflicted by church-run and federal government-sponsored schools that Indigenous children were forced to attend from the 1880s to 1996.