St. Mary’s (Mission) Indian Residential School (IRS) was located at Mission in the Fraser Valley north of Abbotsford and east of Vancouver. The IRS operated from 1867 - 1984 (117 years).
Missionaries opened a boarding school at the St. Mary Mission in the Fraser Valley in 1863. The school was relocated in 1882, and a new school was built in 1933.
In its early years, the school made little use of corporal punishment, but this policy was dropped as the school was increasingly integrated into the federal residential school system.
The school closed in 1984.
The home communities of children sent to St. Mary's include: Agassiz, Ahousaht, Boston Bar First Nation, Chawathil First Nation, Cheam First Nation, Coldwater Indian Band, Cowichan, Creekside, D’Aroy, Daroy, Deroche, Ditidaht First Nation, Ehattesaht First Nation, Harrison, Hesquiaht First Nation, Homalco First Nation, Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’ / Che:k’tles7et’h’ (Kyuquot / Checleseht First Nations), Kanaka Bar Indian Band, Katie, Katz, Katzie First Nation, Klahoose First Nation, Kwakwelth, Kwaw-Kwaw-apilt, kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem First Nation), Laidlaw, Lake Babine Nation, Langley, Lillooet, Líl̓wat Nation, Lyackson First Nation,Lytton First Nation, Malahat Nation, Matsqui First Nation, Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation, N'Quatqua, Nicomen Indian Band, Nuchatlaht, Osoyoos Indian Band, Pacheedaht First Nation, Pauquachin First Nation, Penelakut Tribe, Pocum, Popeum, Popkum First Nation (Pópkw’em), Ruby Creek, SAMAHQUAM, Sardis, scəẃaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen First Nation), Seabird Island Band, Seabird, Sekw’el’was (Cayoose Creek Band), Semiahmoo First Nation, Seton Portage, Shxw’ōwhámél First Nation, Skatin Nations, Skookum Ok., Skowkale First Nation, Skwah First Nation, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), Slave, Snaw-naw-as (Nanoose First Nation), Snuneymuxw First Nation, Spuzzum First Nation, Sq'éwlets, Sq’ewá:lxw (Skawahlook First Nation), Squiala First Nation, Sts'ailes, Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation, Stz’uminus First Nation, Sumas First Nation, T’exelc - The Williams Lake First Nation, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, Tla’amin Nation (ɬaʔəmen Nation), Ts'kw'aylaxw First Nation, Tsal’alh, Tsartlip First Nation, Tsawout First Nation (SȾÁUTW̱ FIRST NATION), Tzeachten (Ch’iyaqtel) First Nation, Uchucklesaht Tribe, Uhehalis, Union Bar, Xa’xtsa (Douglas First Nation), Xaxli’p, Xwísten (Bridge River Indian Band), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Yakweakwioose First Nation (Yeqwyeqwí:ws), Yale First Nation.