É«É«À²

“This burial site has been desecrated, and our communities are grieving,” the release continued. “This discovery underscores that (Durham Region) was not a blank space on a development map prior to the arrival of Europeans. It was, instead, a land rich with life, law, and ceremony for our peoples.”

The chiefs say they were notified by the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario after contractors working with OPG found the remains in large, excavated soil piles.

The land previously housed the General Motors of Canada building, which OPG bought in 2023.

OPG confirmed to the Star that a bone fragment was found on June 3 during their archeological work on their parking lot. 

“Authorities were notified immediately and Indigenous representatives, who had been participating in the archeological work, ensured appropriate cultural protocols were observed,” they said in an email statement. 

OPG said that the work has paused construction since April 10, adding that Durham police and a coroner labelled the remains as ancestral “since it had been buried for a prolonged period.”

The city of Oshawa has not yet responded to requests for comment. 

“As soon as we are aware of pending excavations, we regularly request that companies undertaking excavations take caution and ensure that sites are properly surveyed by a professional archeologist prior to soil excavation. In this case, the property is situated in a well-known cultural heritage location that has been the subject of numerous books, articles, and cultural heritage studies,” the statement said, adding that a plaque commemorating the Scugog Carrying Place was installed in the area ten years prior by the City of Oshawa.

The Scugog Carrying Place is a pathway that was historically used by Indigenous Peoples to hunt and trade, connecting Lake Ontario to other waterways in the province, the plaque explains. 

The chiefs are calling on the province and OPG as a Crown corporation to work with the communities to preserve and protect sites that are sacred and historic to Indigenous Peoples, as obligated under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“It is with deep frustration and upset that we note contractors undertook these excavations and soil piling, seemingly without the information of an archeological assessment, or guidance from a cultural heritage policy,” the release continued. “Our communities expect companies involved in such work to take the steps required by the Ontario Heritage Act.”

The chiefs further said they have asked OPG to provide and publicize a Cultural Heritage Identification and Evaluation policy as required by the Ontario Heritage Act. They said they have not received the documents or any related procedures, nor have they been able to find public records.

The chiefs said communities will also be working with OPG to ensure proper protocols are put in place to protect cultural heritage across sites, including the involvement of Elders and Knowledge Keepers to prevent any further desecration.

“We believe there is a high probability that additional ancestors’ remains will be found at this site,” the release read. “Our Ancestors deserve the dignity and honour that we would accord to any deceased individuals.”

OPG said they recognize the “significance and sensitivity” of the finding.

“We are committed to working closely with the local Indigenous communities and authorities to ensure a thorough and culturally respectful investigation,” an OPG representatives said.