Interim Report Reveals 55 Deaths or Disappearances at B.C. Residential School

The Williams Lake First Nation report uncovers a higher number of child deaths and disappearances than previously recorded, prompting further investigation.

• Investigators have identified at least 55 children who died or disappeared at St. Joseph’s Mission Indian Residential School, surpassing the 16 listed in the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation memorial register.
• Ground-penetrating radar surveys have detected 159 potential unmarked graves at the site, though no confirmed human remains have been found so far.
• The school operated from 1891 to 1981 near Williams Lake, British Columbia, and the investigation area spans 782 hectares.
• The Williams Lake First Nation, supported by the provincial government, purchased the school site to maintain the integrity of ongoing investigations.
• Plans are underway to transform the site into a place of healing, with ongoing consultations on excavation and repatriation processes.

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