Vancouver School Names, 1886-2023: Continuity and Change

Abstract

Over the past few years, controversies about commemorations, including statues, street names, buildings, and school names, have been at the forefront of public debate in Canada and around the world. In Vancouver, students, members of the public, and community groups have called for renaming various Vancouver School Board schools. Inspired by these debates, we analyzed newspapers, school board minutes and reports, census data, and various secondary sources to better understand Vancouver school naming practices between 1886 and 2023. Drawing from scholarship in critical toponymy, our research note demonstrates that Vancouver’s school names provide valuable insights into the beliefs, values, and attitudes of the people who made decisions about school names, the ways collective memory and settler identity were institutionalized in schools, and the politics of naming and renaming. Our hope is that this research will inform public debates about Vancouver school naming and renaming, and contribute to historically informed decision-making for a more just and equitable future.