The last federally run Indian residential school in Canada closed in 1997, when Kivalliq Hall in Rankin Inlet, in what is now Nunavut, was shut down.

When did the last residential school close?

Quick Scoop

  • The last recognized Indian residential school in Canada, Kivalliq Hall in Rankin Inlet (Nunavut), closed in 1997.
  • For many years, public sources and school curricula often said 1996 , based on earlier records that did not yet include Kivalliq Hall as a formally recognized residential school.
  • Later legal and historical work, especially under the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) , confirmed Kivalliq Hall as part of the residential school system, updating the “last school” date to 1997.

Why do some sources say 1996 or 1998?

You might still see different dates in news, textbooks, or social posts:

  • 1996 : Often refers to Gordon Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan, long cited as the last residential school before Kivalliq Hall was formally recognized under IRSSA.
  • 1997 : Reflects the updated understanding that Kivalliq Hall was a residential school and closed one year after Gordon.
  • 1998 : Some media and public-facing explanations talk about the residential school system ending “by 1998” or say the last of the system’s schools had closed by then, sometimes referencing broader programs and not just IRSSA‑recognized schools.

In other words, if someone asks “when did the last residential school close?” in a Canadian historical context today, the most accurate answer is 1997, with the closure of Kivalliq Hall , while still noting that 1996 appears in older or simplified references.

One-line takeaway

The last Indian residential school in Canada, Kivalliq Hall in Rankin Inlet (Nunavut), closed in 1997 , updating earlier references that pointed to 1996.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.