Robin MacLennan
Ontario Construction Report staff writer
The Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) says it is prepared to shut down construction on Withrow Avenue in Toronto after learning that ancestral remains removed from an active archaeological site were stored in a dump truck for more than a year — and their location is now unknown.
“For over a year, the City of Toronto and its consultants have refused to grant us access to our ancestors’ remains,” said Aaron Detlor, legal counsel for HDI, in a statement issued July 17. “We’ve been denied basic information, denied consultation, and denied respect. Now we have been told, in writing, that those remains are actually sitting in a dump truck.
“This is beyond negligent. It is an outrage and disgraceful.”
The remains were excavated in early 2024 during routine water infrastructure work. Archaeological Services Inc. (ASI), the consulting firm hired by the city, confirmed that the human remains were placed in a dump truck and removed from the site.
The city says site work is expected to begin shortly, even as one group threatens to “shut down all construction activity in the area” amid concerns about the way the matter has been handled.
On Jan. 5, 2024, a construction crew replacing an old water service line on Withrow Avenue, just east of Broadview Avenue, unearthed what were believed to be human bones. The police were informed of the situation and work there was immediately halted.
Not long after, an anthropologist retained by the Office of the Chief Coroner determined that the remains are human, and likely ancient and of Indigenous origin.
The province then issued an order that it undertake a burial site investigation.
At a press conference July 21, senior city officials acknowledged the handling of the remains was unacceptable and pledged to begin a detailed site investigation.
“We recognize this has taken longer than anyone would have liked,” Deputy City Manager Will Johnson said at the press conference. “But given the critical nature of the situation, we need to make sure we are doing this right.”
Officials say the city has consulted 11 Indigenous groups about the matter and that 10 agreed with the plan to proceed. The Haudenosaunee Confederacy did not, citing concerns about the storage of the remains and lack of meaningful involvement in the process.
Lou Di Gironimo, general manager of Toronto Water, said the remains were unintentionally placed in a dump truck after they were uncovered in what workers believed was regular soil. Since then, the site has been fenced off and guarded 24 hours a day, at a cost of about $200,000.
The HDI says the site sits atop a historic Haudenosaunee village and is officially designated as a burial site investigation zone. A city plaque near the site acknowledges the area’s Indigenous significance.
“Despite many pleas, the Haudenosaunee have been denied any meaningful role in overseeing the treatment of their ancestors,” the HDI stated.
The group has called for the immediate return of the remains and a halt to all archaeological activity until Haudenosaunee jurisdiction is fully recognized. It also warned it will proceed with its own investigation if the city fails to act.
“The remains of Haudenosaunee ancestors must not be treated like trash,” the statement said. “They must be returned to the Earth with ceremony and dignity, not treated like garbage.”
HDI says the situation reflects broader concerns about Ontario’s Bill 5, which grants cabinet ministers the power to override environmental and heritage protections — a move Indigenous leaders say has already led to the desecration of sacred sites.
However, city officials say they remain committed to reconciliation but acknowledged that the process in this case has been difficult.
“We are trying to do this with care,” said Johnson. “And we are going to do it properly.”