More than nine months after the discovery of ancient human remains in a Riverdale neighbourhood, the City of Toronto has spent nearly $200,000 monitoring the site but done little to secure it or learn more about it, frustrating an archaeologist from the Six Nations of the Grand River who has questioned the city’s dedication to and respect for the people buried there.
City workers installing a water service line first became aware of the remains on Jan. 5, which an anthropologist later confirmed to be ancient remains. Three days later, the city was issued a provincial order directing it to hire a consulting archaeologist to conduct an investigation to determine the origin of the burial site. The site is currently surrounded by fencing and is under a tent and is under round-the-clock security surveillance, which the city said cost about $196,000.
The location of the maintenance work was close to the Withrow Archaeological Site, which was described by Heritage Toronto as one of the city’s most complex archaeological sites before it was excavated and cleared away. About 1,000 years ago, the site was home to several First Nations. The Haudenosaunee Confederacy came to the area before that, followed by the Anishinaabe. Road-building workers first disturbed the site in 1886, leading to an archaeological dig that found dozens of human remains and artifacts thousands of years old.
Tanya Hill-Montour, archaeology supervisor for the Six Nations of the Grand River, said initial work on the discovery in January raised several red flags because it was so close to the Withrow archeological site. Hill-Montour said an assessment should have been done before maintenance work began and expressed surprise at the apparent lack of due diligence on the part of the city.
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The city said an assessment was not conducted because the city’s archaeological management plan did not indicate the likelihood of any discoveries in the area, and it was believed any remains had been destroyed by residential development.
Hill-Montour’s frustrations don’t end there. Since the discovery, other than securing the location, no physical effort appears to have been made to learn more about it.
“I’m so shocked that nobody is looking at this like the serious matter it is. We have three people, they’re people, they’re individuals who have been put in very horrible circumstances,” said Hill-Montour who acts as next of kin to advocate for ancestors when they’re exposed. “It’s completely outrageous.”
Hill-Montour said if the remains had belonged to a European resident, she thought the case would have been resolved by now. “It makes me very angry, it’s been nine months and there’s been no movement,” she said.
A city spokesperson said in an email that the investigation was delayed because the ground needed to thaw. But the question of why work didn’t begin with the arrival of spring is less clear. Spokesperson Laura McQuillan said the city hired a licensed consultant archaeologist and began discussions with several First Nations in March on proposed next steps.
McQuillan said formal agreements need to be reached with First Nations before any further action can be taken. He said those discussions will need to outline the respective responsibilities and payments the city will need to make to compensate First Nations for their respective roles in assessment activities.
The city’s media department declined an interview with the division chief overseeing the process and did not say how many or which First Nations groups it has contacted, nor explain why the process is taking so long. But McQuillan said all First Nations identified with interests on traditional territory at the site have been contacted by the city and its archaeological consultant.
Kristin Briggs, whose home is next door to the site, said the yellow tent always draws interest from passersby and an arborist stops by periodically to make sure the site is safe and out of the weather. She said she has been patient with the process, emphasizing that neighbors are sensitive to the need to treat the situation with respect. But she did say blocking a portion of the sidewalk on a busy street next to a school is a safety concern.
Hill-Montour said it’s important to involve all Indigenous stakeholders, but he said every First Nations group would believe in advocating for respectful treatment of their ancestors. “I think that’s a poor excuse, because the treatment of our ancestors shouldn’t be seasonal for nine months,” he said.
Other difficult questions also arise about next steps, including whether the remains should be exhumed or kept in place. Hill-Montour said the city needs to step up its readiness and she’s not confident any progress will be made before the ground freezes again.
“I think in order to move this forward we need to start the conversation and engage the Indigenous communities who have already said they’re interested in this project,” Hill-Montour said.
“I would be very disappointed and my heart would be even more broken if these ancestors had to spend their winter in these conditions.”
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