City to commemorate National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day on Monday, September 30

In steps towards more meaningful reconciliation efforts, the City will honour Orange Shirt Day with a ceremony at City Hall on Monday September 30, 2023 at 12:00pm (noon). A land acknowledgement, flag raising, and proclamation reading will take place, alongside other community stakeholders.

There will also be a traditional dance presentation, with demonstrations and refreshments at the St. Thomas Public Library immediately following the ceremony.

All community members are welcome and encouraged to attend.

The City encourages residents to join us in wearing orange to honour Indigenous families, children, and survivors who continue to be affected by the residential school legacy. Official 2024 Orange Shirt Day shirts can be purchased locally through Tribal Canoe in St. Thomas, with donations made to the Orange Shirt Day Society and Atlohsa Family Healing Services. Click here to order.

Please click here to view the full media release for more information.

City of St. Thomas Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the land on which we meet is the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinabek, Attiwonderonk (Neutral) and Mississauga peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. 

We also recognize that this land is now home to the Munsee-Delaware Nation, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation and Oneida Nation of the Thames. 

This land was settled through Treaty 2, the McKee Purchase Treaty of 1790, and we, as beneficiaries of the treaty recognize our collective responsibilities to the land and water.