Day Schools Project

For help searching these records, see Day school records : Research guide

The Day Schools Project (DSP) is an initiative of Library and Archives Canada (LAC) to digitize, describe and increase the discoverability of up to six million pages of archival materials related to the Federal Indian Day School system and its legacy.

Harmful content

We recognize that materials in government and religious archives can be painful, especially for Indigenous Peoples. Reading historical records that document genocide, assimilation and oppression—often written in biased and hurtful language—can cause distress and harm to researchers.

To learn more or access support, please see the notice about harmful content in LAC holdings.

The records included in the DSP are generally about schools attended by First Nations and Inuit, although many children of the Métis Nation attended these institutions. The project supports the Government of Canada’s ongoing commitment to truth and reconciliation. It began in 2022 and will conclude in February 2026. From here on, we will refer to this type of school as “Day Schools.”

The DSP includes government records produced by the former Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (RG10/ R216), the Indian and Inuit Affairs Program (RG22) and the Northern Affairs Program (RG85). These records contain textual material, photographs, maps and plans.

Files were scanned in their entirety, capturing both the front and back of each page to create true copies of the originals.

Due to the sensitive nature of the records, the majority of them remain protected under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

The DSP has identified a range of records related to various aspects of the Federal Indian Day Schools system and has provided enhanced file descriptions to make it easier for survivors, family members and researchers to find relevant information.

Records with enhanced file descriptions now include the following searchable information:

  • Examples of documents contained within each file
  • Indigenous communities and school locations mentioned
  • Names of schools and related institutions
  • Whether student names are mentioned
  • Whether staff names are mentioned

The enhanced descriptions make searching by keywords much easier than before, bringing researchers directly to the file-level descriptions. Through Collection search, users can now access information about a file’s contents that was previously only available by consulting the physical record. This applies to both open (code 90) and restricted by law (code 32) files.

While the DSP has focused on identifying Day Schools records within the former Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development fonds, it has not identified all records relating to Day Schools within this fonds. This is due in part to the project’s tight timeline and the extent of the records contained in the fonds.

For example, the following records have not been included in the project’s scope:

  • School Files Series
  • Records within the former Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development fonds that are microfilmed and available through Canadiana’s Héritage Project.

The DSP is working to link historical names of communities, schools and locations with their current names. This will ensure that searches in our catalogue using alternate terms produce consistent results. The goal is to make archival records more accessible through the use of culturally appropriate terms, including those with multiple spellings or name variations.

Contact information

For more information about the Day Schools Project, please email our team at projetsurlesexternats-dayschoolsproject@bac-lac.gc.ca.