September 30 is the annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honour the Survivors of residential schools, the children who never returned home, and their families and communities.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was established by the federal government in 2021 in response to Call to Action 80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action. The day provides an opportunity for Canadians to remember and reflect on the painful history and ongoing legacy of the residential school system.
Here in Richmond Hill, the City raised the Every Child Matters flag at the main Municipal Offices on September 23. Flags at City facilities will be lowered to half-mast on September 30.
To observe the day, Richmond Hill Municipal Offices, all Richmond Hill Public Library branches and the Access Richmond Hill contact centre will be closed on Wednesday, September 30. Community centres, fitness studios, pools and arenas will remain open during regular hours, and there will be no change to waste collection.
September 30 is also a federal statutory holiday. Federal government offices and many federally regulated workplaces will be closed. Because it is not a statutory holiday in Ontario, most schools, stores and other provincially regulated businesses and services remain open.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation also coincides with Orange Shirt Day, a movement inspired by the experience of residential school Survivor Phyllis Webstad. The orange shirt has become a powerful reminder that Every Child Matters.
September 30 is more than a day of observance. It is an opportunity to listen, to learn and to better understand the experiences of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples—and to consider what reconciliation can mean in our own community. It is a symbol of hope, reconciliation, and commitment to a better future.
