Hamilton public school board votes to rename Ryerson Elementary School

A sign outside of Ryerson Elementary School is seen. (CTV News Toronto)

TORONTO -

Hamilton's public school board has voted to rename Ryerson Elementary School and says it will review the names of all its facilities to ensure they align with current values.

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board says it's taking action in light of the discovery of what are believed to be the remains of 215 Indigenous children at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.

Egerton Ryerson is considered an architect of Canada's residential school system.

The Hamilton board says an Indigenous-led process will be created to examine all its school names.

A school board in London, Ont., is also considering whether to rename Ryerson Public School, along with Sir John A. Macdonald Public School, named after Canada's first prime minister.

The Thames Valley District School Board says its review would look at all its schools and facilities to ensure their names reflect the board's values.

In Toronto, Ryerson University created a task force to review its namesake after calls for immediate action and the toppling of an Egerton Ryerson statue on the campus over the weekend.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2021.