National Truth and Reconciliation Day

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is on September 30th. It’s a day for people to remember the horrors of Canada’s past residential schools.

(Note: The above photo is of the memorial honouring First Nations children who died at Canadian residential schools between the 1800s and 1990s. It emerged on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery in the spring of 2021 after the discovery of mass graves at a residential school in Kamloops, BC.)

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The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

A relatively new annual holiday, as of 2021, the day is an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on historic racism and the consequences of generations of Indigenous children being taken from their families.

Originally introduced in Parliament in September of 2020, Bill C-5 was signed into law in the summer of 2021. The law gives Canada a new statutory holiday. September 30th is now officially National Day for Truth and Reconciliation across the country.

Since 2013, September 30th has been known as Orange Shirt Day. Residential school survivor and BC resident Phyllis Webstad was the inspiration for the movement. She shared a story of her initiation at residential school. A new orange shirt she’d received from her family (along with the rest of her clothes) was taken from her.

Orange Shirt Day grew in popularity in the following years. It soon became a coast-to-coast day of recognition. This prompted the proposal of a federal bill in 2018 that would make the day a statutory holiday. However, it didn’t make it through Parliament before the 2019 election.

A new bill was proposed in the fall of 2020, and it slowly made its way through Parliament. After the discovery of the graves of hundreds of children at the site of a former Kamloops residential school in May of 2021, the House of Commons decided to push through the bill much quicker than it might otherwise have taken.

The bill received approval from the House and Senate on June 3rd, 2021. September 30th, 2021, was the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. In 2023, it fell on a Saturday and is now a paid statutory holiday in British Columbia.

What Does this Holiday Mean?

The holiday recognizes the awful history of the Canadian residential school system, described as “cultural genocide” by the federal Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The recognition of this day as a statutory holiday is meant to further stimulate reflection and community engagement. It’s also meant to honour those who had to endure the system and those who continue to feel its effects today.

The month chosen for the holiday is September as it’s the month children return to school. For Indigenous communities, this meant the time their children returned to the residential schools.

To learn about Canada’s past regarding its Indigenous people, read the Truth and Reconciliation Report and its recommendations. See the TRC.ca website for details.

Truth and Reconciliation Day in BC in 2023

The kind of ceremonies taking place on September 30th depend on the province. There is no set standard, although orange shirts remain a powerful symbol.

This is a time to learn from our province’s history and hopefully take steps to improve our current society.

The following events either took place in the Lower Mainland on or close to September 30th in 2023, or took place then in 2022 and may have returned again this past year. All information is accurate as of the end of August.

Events in the City of Vancouver

Intergenerational March for Orange Shirt Day – the UBC Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre Canada holds an educational march on the UBC campus. It ran from noon until 3:00 pm on September 30th in 2023.
Arts Umbrella – workshops and lectures with Indigenous artists at Arts Umbrella on Granville Island. This event happened from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on September 30th in 2023.
Britannia Community Services Centre – an Orange Shirt Day gathering with a walk, food and cultural sharing. It happened at the Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre and Grandview Park on September 30th, 2023. The event ran from 9:30 am until 2:00 pm.
Orange Shirt Day at Templeton Welcome Garden – an Orange Shirt Day event from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm on September 30th in 2023. It featured speakers, Earth art, drumming and more at 700 Templeton Drive. Admission is free.

In addition to the above, the Museum of Vancouver typically offers special admission on September 30th. In both 2021 and in 2022, visitors wearing an orange shirt entered the museum for free. 2023 was likely the same.

Events Elsewhere in the Lower Mainland

In addition to the above events in the City of Vancouver, there are also other activities online and in Coquitlam, Delta, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Port Moody, Surrey, White Rock and elsewhere. See below for details.

Online Event

Building Local Relationships Workshop – in partnership with the Indigenous Perspectives Society, the BC Non-Profit Housing Association hosted an educational webinar from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on September 6th in 2023 (so a few weeks before National Truth and Reconciliation Day).

In Chilliwack

Rise Up – Wake Up – a special event with live music, storytelling and a basket ceremony at the University of the Fraser Valley. It took place on September 28th from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm in 2023. Registration is required, but admission is free.

In Coquitlam

Walk for Reconciliation – members of Kwikwetlem First Nation hosted a public walk along Colony Farm Road at KFN Community Hall on September 29th in 2023. The event ran from 9:30 am until noon.
All My Relations – a free workshop on National Truth and Reconciliation Day at Place des Arts at 1120 Brunette Avenue. The event ran from 1:00 pm until 4:30 pm on September 30th, 2023. Admission is free, but online registration in advance is recommended.

In Maple Ridge

Healing Through Drumming – an event hosted by the Fraser River Indigenous Society at Memorial Peace Park at 11968 – 224th Street on September 30th in 2023. The free event ran from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm and featured drumming, painting and other family-friendly activities.

In New Westminster

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – the Spirit of the Children Society hosted an event at Westminster Pier Park at # 1 – 6th Street on September 30th in 2023. There was drumming, dancing, a marketplace and food vendors from noon until 4:00 pm.

In North Vancouver

Truth and Reconciliation Day – free admission and special activities at the Museum of North Vancouver at 115 West Esplanade from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on September 30th in 2023.

On September 30th in 2022, there was also the Tsleil-Waututh Community Pilgrimage in North Vancouver. It was an 8.5-kilometre walk from St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Secondary School to the Tsleil-Waututh Nation reserve. The video below shows a scene from that event.

In Port Moody

National Day of Truth and Reconciliation – a collaborative art project at Noons Creek Hatchery (at 300 Ioco Road) with a special presentation by Shelley Saje Ricci. The event started at 1:00 pm on September 30th, 2023.

In Surrey

Skookum Surrey National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – an event with drumming, tea and bannock at Holland Park on September 29th in 2023. It began at 3:00 pm and ran for two hours.

In Whistler

SLCC Activities – admission was free to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre on September 30th in 2023. There were also special exhibitions, guest speakers, crafts and more to enjoy.

In White Rock

Walk for Reconciliation – the third annual Walk for Truth and Reconciliation took place on September 30th in 2023. It began at Grand Chief Bernard Robert Charles Memorial Plaza and made its way to Semiahmoo Park. There were also performances, market vendors, kids activities, free bannock and more.

Event in Vancouver Video

The following video is of the event marking Truth and Reconciliation Day in downtown Vancouver in 2021. It took place outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, in šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square, which is also known simply as the “North Plaza.”

Other Information

Vancouver’s Best Places recognizes that it, and the City of Vancouver, are on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Coast Salish Nations. We also recognize that the Lower Mainland is on the unceded ancestral territories of many other Indigenous nations as well and we are thankful for being able to live and operate on these lands.

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