Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District (SD68) is reportedly considering changing the name of Chase River Elementary. The school’s name reportedly stems from a situation in 1853, in which the report of a Hudson’s Bay Company worker who was shot resulted in the arrest and death of a Snuneymuxw man. “Given this history, we have concerns about whether the current school name, particularly (for) those from Snuneymuxw, would feel welcomed, honoured and represented in their learning environment,” said SD68 Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Programs Jacquie Poulin. The board voted unanimously to form a committee, which will embark on a public engagement process to consult with land-based First Nations, non-land-based Indigenous peoples, the local community, the school community, and municipality. If the committee discovers that renaming the school is the recommended decision, then the committee members would be expected to identify two other potential names for the school. CHEK News notes that there is no timeline for the process.
