Mayor's Statement: Burlington City Council to Consider Renaming Ryerson Park

*Please see below a Statement from Mayor Meed Ward for June 18, 2021. Burlington, Ont.  – June 18, 2021 – I recently received correspondence from the Chair of the Board of the Halton District School Board (HDSB) notifying me that the Trustees, at their June 16, 2021 meeting, approved a motion to rename Ryerson Public School on Woodview Road in Burlington in accordance with the Board’s Naming and Renaming Schools Policy and Governance Procedure.A city-owned park adjacent to the school also bears the Ryerson name.Ryerson Public School and adjacent Ryerson Park are named after Egerton Ryerson for his contributions to the Ontario education system, however, Ryerson was also instrumental in the design of Canada’s Residential School system. In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada concluded this assimilation amounted to the genocide of Indigenous peoples.The City of Burlington is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and the names we choose for our municipal properties must reflect that commitment – both going forward, and in retrospect. As part of that commitment, Burlington City Council recently unanimously endorsed the Halton Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Charter produced by the Halton Equity and Diversity Roundtable. We have also recently updated our naming policies to ensure equity, diversity and inclusion is integrated in all our asset naming.There have been growing calls to remove Ryerson’s name from public buildings and institutions, including Ryerson University in Toronto, where a report on the matter is expected to come before their president and board of directors this fall.I support the change the HDSB is making and the reasons behind it.As part of our continued commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, I am working with City of Burlington staff to bring forward a report to Committee and City Council in July 2021 recommending removing the Ryerson name from our park and embarking on the council-approved naming process. We expect this process to be complete by November 2021. We will keep you updated on this process and opportunities for members of the public, including the HDSB, to provide input.Our Indigenous community needs to enjoy our parks and public spaces without a reminder of one of the architects of the Residential School system and the legacy of harm it created for their people. Renaming our city park is one step we can take toward reconciliation with our Indigenous residents.Sincerely,Mayor Marianne Meed WardRELATED LINKS:

• Burlington Council Unanimously Approves Renaming City's Ryerson Park
• Halton District School Board of Trustees approve renaming Ryerson Public School
• Letter from Burlington Mayor to Halton District School Board of Trustees Chair Andréa Grebenc
• Burlington Council Endorses Halton Equity and Diversity Roundtable Charter

--*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor's Media and Digital Communications Specialist