Ontario Launches $7.7M Fund to Support Residential School Survivors

New funding aims to provide healing, wellness, and community engagement support

TORONTO – The Ontario government is investing $7.7 million to launch the Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund (IRSCEF), a new initiative aimed at supporting survivors of the Indian Residential School system and their families as communities continue to navigate the emotional and cultural impacts of burial investigations across the province.

The funding will help Indigenous communities and organizations deliver culturally appropriate mental health and wellness supports, including public education, survivor engagement, commemoration events, and research connected to the ongoing work at former Residential School sites.

“This investment is in direct response to what communities have told us they need – flexible, community-driven resources that address the impacts of this difficult work,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation.

Ontario is investing $7.7 million through the Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund to provide timely, flexible support for Survivors and their families.

To learn more about this Indigenous-led program, visit: https://t.co/z3pNYmxkEJ pic.twitter.com/yePnatI0Wt

— Greg Rickford (@GregRickford) August 11, 2025

Applications Now Open Until September 8

Eligible communities and Indigenous-led organizations can apply for up to $250,000 through Ontario’s Transfer Payment Ontario portal until September 8, 2025. Funding can be used for:

• Mental health and trauma supports

• Survivor and family engagement activities

• Public education and awareness campaigns

• Commemoration and memorial gatherings

• Community-based research projects related to burial investigations

This new stream of funding forms part of the broader $32.1 million announced in Ontario’s 2025 Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario, which includes:

• $17.1 million for planned and ongoing burial investigations

• Up to $15 million in mental health and addictions services for affected communities

Continued Commitment to Reconciliation

Ontario has now invested a total of $124.5 million toward supporting the identification, protection, and commemoration of burials at former Residential School sites. This investment also supports truth-telling and education initiatives aimed at helping all Ontarians understand the legacy of the Residential School system and its lasting impacts.

“We are committed to walking this path with Indigenous partners by supporting healing, truth-telling and education in a way that reflects their priorities and leadership,” said Minister Rickford.

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