A British Columbia First Nation says a preliminary geophysical survey has identified 93 radar images that may indicate the number of children buried at the grounds of a former residential school.
Chief Willie Sellars of the Williams Lake First Nation says that only excavations will confirm the presence of human remains and that much work will be needed before reaching any definitive conclusions.
According to him, 14 of the 470 hectares surrounding the former St. Joseph Mission boarding school have been examined so far as part of a process to find out what happened to indigenous children who did not return home.
Mr. Sellars said the first phase of the investigation into the former St. Joseph Mission residential school has been difficult for its members and the First Nations in the area.
He said in a written statement in November that the investigation opened up old wounds as people told stories of abuse. Mr. Sellars added that this information was useful in the context of the first phase of the investigation, which involved technical experts.
The investigation near Williams Lake comes after the use of ground-penetrating radar led to the discovery last year of what are believed to be 215 unmarked graves at a former boarding school in Kamloops, Colombia -British.
Following what was discovered in Kamloops, similar research was carried out at former residential school sites across the country.
Last week, the federal government announced that it would transfer thousands more residential school records to the National Center for Truth and Reconciliation in Winnipeg.
Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller said a new agreement with the Center outlines how and when the documents will be sent so the organization can make them available to residential school survivors.
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