Edmonton City Council votes unanimously to remove Grandin name from LRT station

EDMONTON -

City councillors in Edmonton voted unanimously on Monday to remove the name Grandin and cover the mural from the LRT station.

The LRT station is named after Vital Grandin, a bishop from the Roman Catholic Church from St. Albert who helped administer and design Canada’s residential school system.

Mayor Don Iveson put forward the motion to remove Vital Grandin from city signs and the Grandin LRT station.

The Grandin working circle will determine next steps on what to put in place instead of the mural.

In the meantime, the mural on the platform will be covered with orange “at the earliest opportunity.”

The city’s naming committee will work with the same working circle to bring recommendations for a new name for the station that “contributes to reconciliation.”

“It has been a heart wrenching time for many people for the last week,” Iveson said.

“But for others there have been years of pain about this particular historical figure.

Other jurisdictions have similarily been considering or have already changed names of landmarks or public spaces named after Grandin.

Contact the Indian Residential School Survivors Society toll-free 1 [phone] or 24-hour Crisis Line 1 [phone] if you require further emotional support or assistance.