THUNDER BAY – The City of Thunder Bay will recognize Sept. 30 as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, though only about half of city staff will be entitled to take it as a statutory holiday.
That will mean some city services, including transit, will be reduced or closed on the day.
The city could also advocate for Ontario to recognize the date as a holiday, if city council approves a recommendation from administration on Monday.
The province has said it has no plans to do so, after the federal government established it as a statutory holiday for federally-regulated employees in June. Other provinces including B.C., Manitoba, and Nova Scotia have chosen to make it a statutory holiday.
The move responds to Recommendation #80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which urged the government to grant the holiday “to ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.”
As a provincially regulated entity, the city isn’t bound by federal holidays. However, about half of city workers have language in their collective agreement entitling them to federal as well as provincial statutory holidays, said human resources director Karie Ortgiese.
“We have many different employee groups with lots of different holiday entitlements,” she said. “At this point in time, we’ve gone with those employees’ collective agreements.”
The city has no plans to extend the stat day to remaining employee groups, with the day treated similarly to Remembrance Day.
“We certainly have encouraged all of our employees to take time to pause and reflect to think about how we all as individuals can contribute to reconciliation,” Ortgiese said.
The city has previously recognized Sept. 30 as Orange Shirt Day, participating in local events that typically draw hundreds to recognize the history of residential schools.
The new holiday will mean recreation facilities are closed on Sept. 30, while arenas will be closed during the day but open during the evening.
Transit will run on a reduced holiday schedule, while solid waste workers will be entitled to the day off.
On Monday, city council will vote on a recommendation to recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day) “by sharing the stories of residential school survivors, their families, and communities and recognizing that all Canadians have a role to play in the reconciliation process.”
The motion, if passed, would see the city’s intergovernmental affairs committee advocate to the province to recognize the day, with a copy of the resolution sent to Premier Doug Ford and other regional and provincial leaders.
