September 10, 2025

Several school districts in Canada recently celebrated the opening of new and renamed schools that will serve Indigenous students. Saskatoon Catholic Schools (SCS) has celebrated the opening of awâsisak kâ-nîmîhtocik St Francis School, which CKOM says is Saskatchewan’s first Cree/English bilingual school. The school will host 600 K-9 students, with classes taught in both languages throughout the day. SCS Superintendent Kelly Cardinal explained that the school’s classrooms have been designed to facilitate collaborations between classes in the same grade. “You now have a community of teachers; three of them working together to teach you in different ways,” she explained. Meanwhile, the Times Colonist reports that the Sooke School District has celebrated the official opening of the SĆIȺNEW̱ SṮEȽIṮḴEȽ Elementary School in Langford. The school received its name—which means “salmon children”—as a gift from the Sc’ianew First Nation. SNP also recently unveiled a new name for the Six Nations Polytechnic Secondary School, which has been renamed to better reflect its student population, program offerings, and commitment to learning.

K-12 schools and postsecondary institutions across Canada hosted community-building activities, informational sessions, and other events to help Indigenous students get oriented to their new lives on campus. Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School—an all-Indigenous high school in Thunder Bay—and First Nations University both held Amazing Race challenges to introduce students to campus and the broader community that they would be living in. Several postsecondary institutions—including Nipissing University, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, University of Manitoba, and Vancouver Island University—also held dedicated sessions and events for Indigenous students as part of their broader orientation events. These included traditional games, ceremonies, and introductions to Indigenous staff and supports around campus.

Kenjgewin Teg and Six Nations Polytechnic are both celebrating the accreditation of select programs through the Indigenous Advanced Education and Skills Council (IAESC). Kenjgewin Teg will launch its first IAESC-accredited program in September 2026: The Indigenous Studies Program – Certificate II. The one-year certificate—which ladders into the institution’s three-year Indigenous Studies Bachelor of Arts degree—introduces learners to the Anishinaabemowin language, Indigenous governance, and foundational knowledge of Indigenous peoples and cultures. SNP has received accreditation for its Advanced Diploma in Ǫgwehǫweh Language. The program is a two-year program where each program cycle focuses on one of six Ǫgwehǫweh languages, enabling learners to obtain a diploma in one of six streams. Turtle Island News reports that the polytechnic is also applying to start an Enviromental Science program.

SD27 and the Tsq̓éscen̓ First Nation have partnered on the transformation of a former secondary school site into a place for cultural learning, community connection, and land-based education. The school board demolished the 100 Mile Junior Secondary School in 2021 and sold the 11-acre property—which is on Secwépemc territory—to the First Nation. Tsq̓éscen̓ First Nation Kúkpi7 (Chief) Helen Henderson explained that this reclamation is “more than a purchase […] it’s a homecoming for our people and a promise to future generations.” The partners will now work together on a variety of initiatives, including the integration of Indigenous-led land-based learning into the local curriculum for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, professional development for teachers, and the development of programming that uses the reclaimed land. First Nation Communications Coordinator Kaitlyn Dixon explained that the land will also be used to host events and gatherings where the community can “connect, reflect, and celebrate resilience.”

The Government of Canada is investing $30M in funding over four years through CIHR and Indigenous Services Canada to improve the Integrated Youth Services Network of Networks. The funding will be used to advance research, data, and knowledge sharing through the 12 provincial and territorial IYS networks and a pan-Canadian Indigenous network. The Indigenous IYS network will conduct research to inform culturally grounded services for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis youth and communities across Canada. “Mental health services for Indigenous youth should be shaped by their leadership and reflect who they are, where they come from, and what they need,” said federal Minister of Indigenous Services Mandy Gull-Masty. “This investment is one example of communities receiving adequate support that in turn, empowers them in building their own solutions.”

The BC Métis Federation (BCMF) has issued a formal letter to Government of British Columbia Minister of Education Lisa Beare calling on the province to amend its School Act to better include Métis students and families in the BC K-12 system. In a statement, BCMF stated that it is concerned about the “ongoing exclusion” of students and families, citing the lack of a mention of Métis students in the BC School Act and the fact that Métis families do not have a formal role in shaping education policy, funding, or culturally appropriate programming. They are calling for amendments to explicitly recognize Métis, guarantee representation, ensure transparent funding and reporting, and support the Michif language and culturally relevant programming.

With the school year underway in the Yukon, the First Nation School Board (FNSB) and the Government of Yukon each noted the continued need for teachers. The FNSB noted that it has fewer vacancies compared to last year, but as of the last Friday in August, it still had eight vacant teacher positions. FNSB Chair Dana Tizya-Tramm told CBC that it has filled all of the positions allocated to its schools by YK, but it requires staff above and beyond the model used by YK. The school board has taken steps to improve its recruitment and retention efforts this year, said Tizya-Tramm, but it is calling for improved housing and funding to support educational professionals. Yukon Association of Education Professionals President Ted Hupé explained that the vacancies seen in YK are part of a national teacher shortage.

Several postsecondary and K-12 schools have welcomed donations and gifts from organizations and the community as the school year gets underway. First Nations University of Canada has received a three-year, $500K investment from Scotiabank to create a new bursary for Indigenous students. The Scotiabank Pathways to Success Travel Bursary will support students who are looking to travel for academic, cultural, professional, and research reasons. “Experiencing the world beyond our campuses deepens learning, inspires lifelong networks and friendships, promotes personal and professional development, and motivates program completion,” commented FNU President Dr Jacqueline Ottman. The W̱SÁNEĆ ȽÁU,WELṈEW̱ Elementary School has received a donation of 48 desktop computers, as well as mice and keyboards, from the District of Saanich to ensure students have the resources they need to learn. The donation reportedly came about after a recent ceremony with the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council, where the district learned about issues with resources.

Carcross/Tagish First Nation (CTFN) and the Government of Yukon have signed a government-to-government accord that outlines several shared priorities, including education. The agreement is in effect for a five-year term and YK Premier Mike Pemberton and CTFN Chief Maria Benoit have committed to meeting on at least an annual basis to discuss progress on the accord. Officials will co-develop and implement an action plan for the shared priorities. “This accord has taken a lot of work from both sides and we are looking forward to our current initiatives and future engagements,” said Benoit.

Collège Ahuntsic has officially adopted Joyce’s Principle, a set of recommendations developed in memory of Joyce Echaquan—a 37-year-old Atikamekw woman who died in 2020 after experiencing racism in a Québec hospital. The recommendations seek to ensure that all Indigenous Peoples have equitable access to culturally safe, discrimination-free health and social services. The adoption of Joyce’s Principle was spearheaded by a group of students who collected and presented over 200 signatures to the college’s Conseil d’administration. Ahuntsic stated that it plans to work with the Bureau du Principe de Joyce to support implementation and ensure the process is guided by the communities it was created to serve.