A pair of schools in the Pembina Trails division have new names.
Ryerson Elementary School — the subject of controversy due to its namesake Edgerton Ryerson’s role in creating Canada’s residential school program — is now Prairie Sunrise School.
“Prairie Sunrise School represents not just a break from a dark and painful history, it symbolizes a fresh new beginning for our Pembina Trails families,” the division said in a statement Friday.
“Prairie Sunrise School will continue to shine.”
The name change comes as schools and other institutions across Canada have publicly reconsidered honouring those involved in the horrors of the residential school system, in light of the large numbers of unmarked graves that continue to be found at former residential school sites nationwide.
The other new name, Bison Run School, goes to a new K-8 school under construction in Waverley West.
The division said the new facility is expected to open its doors in January of 2023.
The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419) is available 24 hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of their residential school experience.