City holds ceremony formally renaming Route 165 to Abinojii Mikanah

Today, City of Winnipeg officials and employees, Elders, and members of the community formally marked the renaming of Bishop Grandin Boulevard to Abinojii Mikanah.

“The renaming of Abinojii Mikanah is a tribute to all survivors of the residential school system and the little ancestors who never made it home. A way of honoring the children past and present, from coast to coast," says Elder Joan Winning of Sagkeeng First Nation.

The City of Winnipeg says in a release that "the legacy of Bishop Vital Grandin has been reconsidered in recent years following the release of the Final Report on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada. In addition to the 94 Calls to Action, the report included a detailed history of the residential school system in Canada and identified Bishop Vital Grandin as leading the campaign for residential schools."

Abinojii Mikanah (A-bin-oh-jee Mee-kin-ah), which means “The Children’s Way/Road” in Anishinaabemowin/Ojibwe, was chosen by the Indigenous Knowledge Naming Circle and approved by City Council in 2023.

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“Abinojii Mikanah is a tribute to the strength and resilience of Indigenous communities," says Mayor Scott Gillingham. "As a city, we are committed to continuing our journey of reconciliation and to building a more inclusive and respectful future for all Winnipeggers."

The name honours the experiences of Indigenous residential and day school survivors, and the children who didn’t make it home.

Elder Betty Ross of Pimicikamak Cree Nation says, "Kise-Manitou (Creator) bestowed unfathomable wisdom and traditional knowledge to the Indigenous Knowledge Naming Circle of Elders in renaming Bishop Grandin Boulevard to Abinojii Mikanah. It signifies power, sacredness, resilience of Indigenous nations and the revitalization of Indigenous voices and our First languages that were forever intact since time immemorial and moving forward in 2024, and beyond!”

In April, City Council approved the street renaming bylaw. The City subsequently completed the registration of survey plans with the Winnipeg Land Titles Office. Signage along the roadway is also being installed.

For more information on the process of renaming Bishop Grandin Boulevard, as well as Bishop Grandin Trail, and Grandin Street, please visit: winnipeg.ca/indigenous.