Winnipeg moves on from Bishop Grandin, formally introduces Abinojii Mikanah

The City of Winnipeg formally changed the name of the 10-kilometre expressway, also known as Route 165, on Friday — National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Goodbye, Bishop Grandin Boulevard, hello Abinojii Mikanah.

The City of Winnipeg formally changed the name of the 10-kilometre expressway, also known as Route 165, on Friday — National Indigenous Peoples Day — after signs with the new name first began going up last month.

City council voted unanimously to change the name in March 2023, after a reconsideration of the legacy of the road’s namesake, Catholic Bishop Vital-Justin Grandin, who died in 1902.

Grandin was identified in the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada as an architect of the nation’s residential school system.

The new name, Abinojii Mikanah, means “the children’s road” in Anishinaabemowin, and recognizes the experiences of residential school survivors as well as children who never made it home.

“Abinojii Mikanah is a tribute to the strength and resilience of Indigenous communities,” said Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham, who took part in a formal name-change ceremony Friday alongside Indigenous leaders and elders, as well as municipal officials.

“As a city, we are committed to continuing our journey of reconciliation and to building a more inclusive and respectful future for all Winnipeggers.”