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The Ontario government says it’s investing $7.7 million to launch the Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund (IRSCEF), aimed at supporting Indigenous communities and organizations providing culturally appropriate mental health and wellness services to Indian Residential School survivors and their families affected by burial investigations.
Eligible communities and organizations can apply for up to $250,000 in funding to support initiatives such as public education, survivor engagement, community gatherings, commemoration activities, and research linked to ongoing burial investigations. Applications are open now through the Ontario government’s Transfer Payment Ontario website until September 8, 2025.
This new fund is part of a broader $32.1 million investment outlined in the 2025 Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario. The budget includes $17.1 million for ongoing and planned burial investigations and up to $15 million for mental health, addictions, and trauma supports for affected communities.
Ontario says it has committed over $124 million to support the identification, protection, and commemoration of burial sites at former Indian Residential Schools across the province. The government emphasizes its dedication to meaningful reconciliation by working with Indigenous partners to support healing, truth-telling, and education that reflect Indigenous priorities and leadership.
Through this fund, Ontario aims to provide flexible, community-driven resources that directly respond to the needs expressed by Indigenous communities impacted by this difficult work.
Those looking to apply for funding can visit the Transfer Payment Ontario website.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
