Abinojii Mikanah
On June 16, 2021, the Executive Policy Committee directed the Indigenous Relations Division to engage in consultations with Indigenous people, including but not limited to residential school survivors, Elders, knowledge keepers, as well as Indigenous governments and community organizations to bring forward their proposal for re-naming Bishop Grandin Boulevard and Grandin Street to a name which honours Indigenous experience, culture and history.
In response to this direction, the Indigenous Relations Division extended invitations to Indigenous governments as well as community-based organizations to delegate representatives to form an Indigenous Knowledge Naming Circle, with the intent that the Circle be comprised of Elders, Residential School Survivors, Knowledge Keepers and youth.
The importance of having the names in Indigenous languages was highlighted by an Elder who shared that “residential schools created boundaries that prevented the transmission of language and culture. We no longer have these boundaries. We have to start the education of the children about our language, and it is so important that they see something like this.”
On March 23, 2023, Council endorsed the re-naming of Bishop Grandin Boulevard, Bishop Grandin Trail and Grandin Street to the following:
- Bishop Grandin Boulevard to Abinojii Mikanah (A-bin-oh-gee Mee-kin-ah)
- Bishop Grandin Trail to Awasisak Mēskanôw (Aa-wa-sis-uk Me-ska-noh)
- Grandin Street to Taapweewin Way (Tap-way-win)
On April 25, 2024, Council formally approved the re-naming of Bishop Grandin Boulevard and Grandin Street by approving a by-law change.
The City formally marked the renaming at a ceremony guided by Elders in June of 2024.