The Ontario government is investing $7.7 million to launch the Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund (IRSCEF), aimed at supporting culturally appropriate mental health and wellness programs for survivors and their families affected by ongoing burial investigations at former Residential Schools. The initiative provides flexible, community-driven resources to address the impacts of these investigations while promoting healing, truth-telling, and education in ways that align with Indigenous leadership and priorities.
Through this fund, eligible communities and organizations can access up to $250,000 for initiatives such as public education, survivor engagement, community gatherings, commemoration projects, and research activities that connect members to ongoing investigations. Applications are open until September 8, 2025, via the Ontario government’s Transfer Payment Ontario website.
The IRSCEF forms part of the $32.1 million allocated in Ontario’s 2025 Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario, which includes $17.1 million for burial investigations and up to $15 million for mental health, addictions, and trauma supports. This investment builds on Ontario’s continued collaboration with Indigenous partners to advance reconciliation, raise awareness about the painful legacy of Residential Schools, and honour the memories of lost children. To date, the province has invested $124.5 million in identifying, investigating, protecting, and commemorating burial sites across Ontario.
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