National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Vancouver Events 2025

by Rebecca Bollwitt Wednesday, September 17th, 2025 — 12:29pm PDT

September 30th marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day), a time to recognize and reflect on the legacy of residential “schools” in Canada. Below you’ll find a list of events around Metro Vancouver as well as additional actions and resources for reflection and learning.

Events | Actions | Resources | Orange Shirt Day History

Orange Shirt KC Hall UNYA 2025 — Photo of artist KC Hall, his daughter Kali, and his mother Dorothy.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Events Around Vancouver

If you are looking for a way to commemorate and recognize this day of active listening, and action (on top of wearing an orange shirt, which is a good start!) here are a few events in which you can participate around Metro Vancouver.

(Sept 20) Truth and Reconciliation at the Chinese Canadian Museum
(Sept 20-21) Come Toward The Fire Festival of Indigenous Culture
(Sept 23) Indian Residential School Survivor Testimony at VPL
(Sept 24-25) Decolonization Outdoor Art Tours at UBC
(Sept 25) Natural Dye Truth & Reconciliation Workshop
(Sept 25) Rhythms of Resilience: Voices of Warrior Women
(Sept 26) BC Lions Orange Shirt Day Game
(Sept 27) Truth and Reconciliation: One in Spirit Writing Workshop
(Sept 27) The Art of Tea Blending with rhtea.co
(Sept 27) World Premiere of NDN Giver at the Bill Reid Gallery
(Sept 27) The Jingle Dance: Interactive Powwow Experience with Raven Spirit Dance
(Sept 27) Orange Shirt Day at Holland Park in Surrey with SFU
(Sept 28) VSO The Path Forward Featuring Pam Baker, Jeremy Dutcher
(Sept 28) National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Maple Ridge
(Sept 29) Sugarcane Film Screening at Pacific Theatre for NDTR
(Oct 8) Unbroken: Disrupting Toxic Colonialism with Angela Sterritt
September 30, 2025 – Orange Shirt Day

More events will be added throughout the month as they are announced. There are also online events and resources for schools during Truth and Reconciliation Week.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Events Around Vancouver 2022

More Actions

You can donate to causes such as the IRSSS and Indigenous organizations in your community, like UNYA (Urban Native Youth Association), Nations Skate Youth, Justice for Girls. Support Indigenous-led businesses, check out Indigenous artists and exhibitions, visit cultural centres, and continue to honour and observe throughout the year.

Learn more about the city around us by downloading the Talaysay App from Talaysay Tours and explore the land through an Indigenous lens.

Additional Resources

Learn about the impacts of the Indian Residential School system
- Read about how Orange Shirt Day originates from the story of Phyllis Webstad from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation.
Read the TRC’s 94 recommendations
- Here’s a progress report on the TRC calls to action, 15 have been completed so far.
- This is a kid-friendly version of the TRC calls to action
Contact your MPs and local officials
Actively listen to people of First Nations, Inuit and Métis backgrounds
Stand up to stereotypes, prejudice and systemic racism
Have conversations with your family and friends (even children)
Be respectful towards trauma survivors and elders
Support Indigenous-led community organizations
Be patient, empathetic and receptive (it’s distressing for everyone)
Raise awareness in your community and online (wear orange)
For support:
- IRSSS Toll-Free Line: 1-800-721-0066 (24-Hours)
- National Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419
- KUU-US Crisis Line: 1-800-588-8717
- Tsow-Tun-Le Lum: 1-888-403-3123

History of National Truth and Reconciliation Day

September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, a grassroots campaign founded by Phyllis Webstad. Orange Shirt Day grew out of her own experiences and the experiences of other residential school survivors who attended St. Joseph’s Mission near Williams Lake. It’s a day to honour the healing journeys of residential school survivors and their families and a time to engage in meaningful discussions about the history and legacy of the residential school system.

Orange Shirt Day has become an important opportunity to open up dialogue on anti-racism and anti-bullying. This day is meant to also encourage deeper reflection, learning and public dialogue on the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

In June 2021, the Government of Canada passed Bill C-5 to name September 30 as a federal statutory day. It is observed as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This directly responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #80. Action #80 calls upon the federal government, in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, “to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour survivors, their families and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.”