Reconciliation is a movement, not a moment: Ten Years of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) was born from the mandate of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) to serve as the permanent, sacred home for the truths of residential school Survivors. It was the first of its kind in the world. There was no template for this work and no roadmap to follow. But there was courage. There was vision. And there was an unshakable belief that truth must endure.
In a single decade, the NCTR has grown from a small team with a monumental task into a national leader in preserving memory, confronting denialism, and advancing Truth and Reconciliation. The Centre has safeguarded more than four million archival records, verified the names of thousands of children who never came home, and expanded education programs that have reached millions of learners across the country.
International partnerships now extend this work beyond borders, and a permanent home built through the generosity of governments, partners and private donors will ensure these truths are protected for generations to come.
The last ten years have shown what can happen when truth leads,
said Stephanie Scott, Executive Director of the NCTR. The Centre began as a small team with an enormous task to hold a country accountable. Today, we are stronger because Survivors believed in what this Centre could become. Their strength built its foundation. Their courage shaped its purpose.
Our next decade will build on that belief, to preserve the truth, protect the stories of the children who never came home, and help this country find its way forward.
As the legacy and permanent repository of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC), the NCTR continues the work, carrying forward the sacred responsibility that began with Survivors’ testimonies: ensuring their truths are never silent, their histories never lost, and their courage never forgotten.
Throughout December, the NCTR will share its Ten-Year Report through a series of reflections, including Pimaatisin Gaagii Ishi Minigoosiwin, a national wellness and healing gathering where we will honour Survivors and resolution health support workers, and mark the 10th anniversary of the TRC’s Final Report.
This ten-year milestone affirms what Survivors have always known: that Truth and Reconciliation is not a moment in time, but a movement to be carried forward by all who choose to listen, learn, and act. We are proud to highlight our progress of the past decade and honour the work that still lies ahead. Download the report (PDF).