The last federally run Indian residential school in Canada closed in 1996, when Gordon Indian Residential School (Gordon Reserve Indian Residential School) in Saskatchewan shut its doors.

However, some institutions with similar residential-school functions, such as Kivalliq Hall in Rankin Inlet and the Muscowequan Indian Residential School site, continued in various forms until 1997, which is why you may also see 1997 mentioned in newer discussions.

So, if you’re answering a textbook- or exam-style question like “when was the last residential school closed in Canada,” the expected year is 1996 , referring specifically to Gordon Indian Residential School.

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