Allen Morrow attended the school between the ages of six and 12 years old. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

compensation

Timber Bay Children’s Home survivor hopeful settlement will be reached soon

Mar 12, 2025 | 3:39 PM

A recent settlement that was reached between Île-à-la Crosse Residential School attendees and the federal government is giving survivors of the Timber Bay Children’s Home hope for compensation for their claim.

“I really don’t know why things are the way they are today regarding not being recognized,” said Timber Bay survivor Allen Morrow.

“There’s living souls like us out here that have gone there. We are still able to talk and walk and remember things. We’re the evidence.”

The Timber Bay Children’s Home was operated by the Northern Canada Evangelical Mission and the Brethren in Christ Church between 1952 to 1994. The federal and provincial governments have not recognized the Timber Bay home as a residential school as they claim it doesn’t fit the legal definition under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement.

According to the agreement with Île-à-la Crosse, there will be up to $27.3 million for Experience Payments for Survivors along with a legacy fund of $10 million to be operated by a not-for-profit that will go towards healing, commemorative initiatives and education, including language and culture.

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Morrow, who is a resident of La Ronge and a Montreal Lake Cree Nation member, attended the Timber Bay Children’s Home from 1966 until the early 1970s. He was forced to attend for many months at a time and he said the school was a place of many horror stories.

Morrow explained abuse was widespread at the school and students endured unsafe or inadequate meals, poor treatment, violence and sexual assaults. Parents were forced to send their children to the Timber Bay Children’s Home. If they didn’t do so, they were cut off from government benefits.

“I don’t know why the government doesn’t feel the same about it or listen to our stories a little closer, and at least get an apology or something,” Morrow noted.

“I’m happy for Île-à-la Crosse to have their settlement come to a closure. There [are] a lot of happy people and, unfortunately, there are a lot of them who have gone through there who aren’t with us today. It’s too bad that way. That’s just the way life is, and I can only hope for the best for Timber Bay and have it settled.”

Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson stated the First Nation continues to advocate for and push for a settlement for Timber Bay Children’s Home survivors. She said the band reached out to the federal government upon learning of the settlement in Île-à-la Crosse.

“The Timber Bay Children’s Home has all the hallmarks of a residential school, and many of the survivors have always reached out to us to make sure we are advocating for the Timber Bay Children’s Home to be recognized, and the survivors and their families are recognized and compensated for the hurts and harms they have been through,” she said.

“It’s something that we continue to push and we will be reaching out to the Métis Nation to see how they were able to be successful in having a settlement reached regarding the Île-à-la Crosse Residential School because it is something we have been wanting for the Timber Bay Children’s Home.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com