Early studies find at least 93 potential burials at St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School in Williams Lake

Support services are in place for residential school survivors and their families here.

WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. — Data from Williams Lake First Nation’s (WLFN) investigation shows 93 reflections, which display characteristics of potential human burials, at the St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School grounds.

In a news conference Tuesday afternoon (Jan. 25), investigation lead Whitney Spearing unveiled what the geophysical work discovered at the St. Joseph’s grounds. Spearing says data suggests 50 of the potential 93 burials are not associated with the historic cemetery in the area.

However, she emphasizes that excavation is the only technique that can determine whether human remains are present within the reflections found.

According to Spearing, only 14 of the near 470 hectares of the investigation area have been searched. In a map provided, the yellow boundary represents the original investigation area, the orange boundary represents the revised area following interviews with residential school survivals, as well as archival data. The red shading represents the 14 hectares searched.

(Williams Lake First Nation/Google Maps).

Ground-penetrating radar work began at St. Joseph’s on Aug. 30, 2021. The work came months after the discovery of 215 bodies near the Kamloops Indian Residential School on Tk’emlups te Secwepemc grounds. Since then, many First Nations across Canada began their ground-penetrating radar work.

Kukpi7 Willie Sellars says there will be no “unmarked graves” for some children due to how their bodies were disposed of.

“We cannot afford to have another generation grow up without knowing the residential school system… we need to heal,” Sellars states.

Sellars previously told CFJC Today the search will be conducted in multiple phases.

The results from WLFN were initially set to be released on Dec. 7, 2021, but they were postponed to give neighbouring First Nations enough time to set up health and wellness supports.

St. Joseph’s Mission operated between 1891 and 1981.

This is a developing story. More to come.