The former St. Joseph's Mission Residential School in Williams Lake (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Aaron Schulze

Ground-Penetrating Radar

Preliminary results from St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School ground-penetrating radar work to be released in late January

Jan 9, 2022 | 12:01 PM

Support services are in place for residential school survivors and their families here.

WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. — Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) says it will release preliminary geophysical results from the first phase of its investigation at the St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School grounds later this month.

Ground-penetrating radar work began at St. Joseph’s on Aug. 30, 2021. The work came months after the discovery of 215 bodies near the Kamloops Indian Residential School on Tk’emlups te Secwepemc grounds. Since then, many First Nations across Canada began their ground-penetrating radar work.

The results from WLFN were supposed to be released on Dec. 7, 2021, but they were postponed to give neighbouring First Nations enough time to place health and wellness supports.

“This has been an extremely challenging time for WLFN and other First Nations who were affected by the facility at St. Joseph’s,” Chief Willie Sellars states. “We have out of necessity in the course of our investigation opened old wounds and asked people to recount some terrible and harrowing stories. But the information provided has helped shape our investigation and I’m thankful to make progress on this first phase of our work.”

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Sellars asks the public to be respectful of WLFN’s process, as their main concern is the mental health and wellbeing of St. Joseph’s survivors and their families.

Prior to publicly releasing the results, WLFN says it will meet with chiefs of the communities directly affected by the operations at St. Joseph’s Mission. It will give chiefs an opportunity to ask questions to the technical experts involved in WLFN’s first phase of investigation.

A formal news conference will take place Jan. 25 at 1 p.m.