In 1859, a Roman Catholic mission school was established for Métis children at Lac Ste Anne, Alberta. Four years later, in October of 1873, the mission school was moved to St. Albert, Alberta and re-opened as the St. Albert Indian Residential School (Youville Indian Residential School). 

Located on the top of a hill overlooking the Sturgeon River Valley, the Youville Indian Residential School operated between October 22, 1873 to June 30, 1948 about 15 kilometers northwest of Edmonton. First Nations, Métis and Inuit students were primarily from reserves and communities from Edmonton and the St. Albert region, including Paul First Nation, Alexander First Nation, Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, Enoch Cree Nation, and the former Michel Band #472 which was enfranchised in 1958.

Today, the Confederacy of Treaty No. 6 First Nations are taking steps to uncover the truth about what happened at the Youville Indian Residential School.

Prior research has identified around 20 different First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities that had children attend the St. Albert Residential School. Between 1920 and 1930, the school had more than 250 registered students and when it closed on June 30, 1948 there were about 130 registered students. In the spirit of unity and reconciliation, the initiative is currently seeking to forge and strengthen partnerships with existing provincial, federal, religious entities, Indigenous agencies, and other Treaty areas to uncover and better understand the truth of what took place.