Renaming of Indian Road

On Tuesday, June 17 2025, Council passed a motion in regards to the renaming of Indian Road, directing staff to initiate the process to rename Indian Road, work with homeowners on the street on the transition to a new road name, and consult with key participants.

June 17 Motion: Renaming of Indian Road, as Amended

Whereas Indian Road is a municipal road that runs through an established residential community located in Kingston Central that has approximately sixty-two residential properties that abut it; and

Whereas there are three City parks located on Indian Road that are referred to as Indian Road Park, Indian Road Parkette A and Indian Road Parkette B; and

Whereas the use of the word “Indian” is outdated and derogatory when referencing Canada’s First Peoples, Metis and Inuit and/or Indigenous persons and cultures more broadly; and

Whereas City of Kingston By-Law Number 2005-98, the Civic Addressing and Road Naming, provides that “names that are discriminatory, offensive, or derogatory, shall not be permitted”; and

Whereas street renaming should take into consideration feedback from impacted residents and community members; and

Whereas some municipalities offer compensation to residents impacted by road renaming;

Therefore Be It Resolved That staff in the Planning Services and Community Development, Wellbeing& IIDEA departments be directed to initiate a process to rename Indian Road, and work with the current homeowners on the street on the transition to a new road name; and

That this process include consultation with:

1. residents directly affected by the proposed name change;
2. Indigenous service organizations that service indigenous peoples in Kingston, such as but not limited to, the Kingston Native Centre and Language Nest, Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre, Kingston Aboriginal Community Information Network, the Molly Brant Foundation, and the Kagita Mikam Métis Nation of Ontario
3. Indigenous nations with a recognized relationship to the land in question, approached respectfully on a nation-to-nation basis, in keeping with principles of Indigenous land stewardship such as but not limited to the Mohawks of Treaty 57, the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee, and the Huron-Wendat peoples; and

That staff be directed to return to Council in the first half of 2026 with the outcome of the renaming process for Indian Road, Indian Road Parkette A and Indian Road Parkette B; and

That recognizing that the neighbourhood including and surrounding Indian Road carries a reconciliatory commemorative history embedded in its very toponym, one that predates the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, the City study, verify, and commemorate this history through appropriate interpretive signage or installations in the neighbourhood; and

That this reporting back include financial considerations associated with the renaming, to both the municipality and to private property owners.

Next Steps

Engagement on this topic will begin in Fall 2025. Results will be reported back to Council in 2026.

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