In 2019, the NCTR created the first Memorial Cloth, a profoundly sacred and symbolic item, conceived as a tangible monument to the thousands of children who died as a result of the residential school system. Fulfilling a core element of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s mandate, the cloth serves as a permanent, visual tribute, bearing the names of the thousands of children whose deaths have been verified through the NCTR’s extensive research.

It is a powerful part of our ceremonies to honour these precious lives, allowing people to witness the unimaginable scale of loss and to pay their respects. As a living memorial, the Memorial Cloth has been updated several times since 2019, reflecting the NCTR’s ongoing research.

In September 2025, the cloth was again updated with the addition of new names verified by NCTR researchers. Now standing at 60 meters long with names on both sides, its sheer scale demonstrates the breadth of this tragedy, continually reminding people that the process of truth-telling is not finished and ensuring that the children who never returned home are never forgotten.