The Canadian government is ending funding for unmarked grave searches at former Catholic-run residential schools after four years of investigations found no human remains.
The National Advisory Committee on Residential Schools, Missing Children, and Unmarked Burials (NAC) confirmed its funding will expire at the end of March.
Since 2021, over $216.5 million was spent on searches based on ground-penetrating radar scans, which identified soil disturbances but no confirmed graves.
The initial claim of 100s of unmarked graves at Kamloops Indian Residential School sparked national outrage, leading to church vandalism and increased government funding. However, no exhumations have produced evidence of mass burials since.
Despite the lack of findings, NAC members condemned the funding cuts, calling them a setback for reconciliation efforts. Critics argue the investigations were politically driven and lacked verified evidence.
The decision is reportedly a shift in Canada’s approach to the residential school legacy, as debates continue over historical records and government responsibility.
Editorial credit: Chris Allan / Shutterstock.com
