Journalist plans to create new archive of residential school survivor stories — before it's too late
CBC - April 14, 2026
A new project from award-winning journalist Connie Walker aims to create an archive of testimonies of abuse at residential schools before the accounts are destroyed in September 2027.
The project at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), where she is the Velma Rogers Research Chair in the School of Journalism, aims to preserve residential school survivors' stories and raise awareness about the upcoming destruction of Independent Assessment Process (IAP) records.
The files are being retained until 2027 to give survivors a chance to request a copy, opt-in to having the file preserved by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, or both.
The Canadian Press - September 1, 2026 Montreal, QC - Former Montreal priest Brian Boucher, who was convicted in 2019 of sexually abusing two boys and sentenced to eight years in prison, is now facing new charges related to possessing and accessing child sexual abuse material. The alleged offences occurred between April 7 and April 9, and his case has been postponed until September 8. Boucher was granted statutory release in 2024 under strict conditions, including avoiding children and his victims. Still, his release conditions were tightened in 2025 after he was reportedly seen near areas where one victim and his family were likely to be. He was formally removed from the priesthood in 2020 following his conviction and an independent inquiry that criticized the Montreal Catholic diocese for its handling of earlier complaints against him.
Bishop Accountability + CBC News (Halifax) - August 27, 2026 Halifax, NS - Dozens of victims of historical sexual abuse by Catholic priests in Nova Scotia are expected to receive compensation in mid-September, nearly four years after a $10-million settlement was approved. More than 65 victims have been approved for payments ranging from about $21,800 to $303,000, but delays occurred because of the large number of claims and lengthy assessments. Some survivors criticized the process and lack of communication, while lawyers and the archdiocese say the settlement process was fair.