Public art installations invite residents to reflect on the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People
The City of Brampton will mark Red Dress Day on May 5, 2026 with a public installation of red dresses across the city, inspired by The REDress Project. The installation will be unveiled at Ken Whillans Square during a public event and will remain on display until May 29, 2026.
Red Dress Day installation unveiling
Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Time: 10 am (public opening of installation)
Location: Ken Whillans Square
The City’s Red Dress Day installation stands as a solemn tribute to lives lost and a visible reminder of the urgent need to confront colonial and gender-based violence in Canada. Credit: City of Brampton
This year’s installations will be located at:
- Ken Whillans Square
- Brampton Fire Headquarters and Stations Brampton
- Youth Hub at Susan Fennell Sportsplex
- Flower City Community Campus
- Brampton Transit terminals; Bramalea, Brampton Gateway and Downtown
Observed annually on May 5, Red Dress Day honours Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people who have gone missing or have been murdered because of colonial and gender-based violence. It is also a time to remember the families and communities who continue to carry profound grief and seek answers about their loved ones.
Inspired by The REDress Project by Métis artist Jaime Black-Morsette, the installation serves as a powerful symbol of absence, remembrance and witness. Each dress reflects lives taken, lives missing and a national crisis demanding continued attention and action. This year’s recognition reaffirms the City’s declaration of gender-based and intimate partner violence as an epidemic and speaks to the importance of honouring victims with dignity and humanity.
Since 2020, the City of Brampton has been taking action on the Calls to Justice outlined in the final report released by the National Inquiry into MMIWG2S, aligning with broader efforts to advance gender equity. This includes the City’s 2023 declaration of gender-based and intimate partner violence as an epidemic.
The installations are presented in partnership with The Indigenous Network, Algoma University and Peel Regional Police.
About the City of Brampton’s Equity Office
In 2021, the City of Brampton launched its Equity Office, which includes a Senior Advisor of Indigenous Relations. This role helps guide the City’s reconciliation journey and supports work grounded in respect for Indigenous Peoples and cultures.
The City of Brampton continues its commitment to learning, listening and building meaningful relationships with urban Indigenous communities and the City’s Host Nations. The City has accepted the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as guiding frameworks for reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
Learn by visiting Brampton’s Equity Office webpage.
Quotes
“Red Dress Day is an important opportunity to honour the lives of Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people who are no longer with us, to remember those who are still missing and to recognize the deep loss carried by families and communities. As a city, we are committed to continuing the work of reconciliation, raising awareness and supporting meaningful actions to confront gender-based violence, acknowledge the ongoing legacy of colonialism and advance equity for Indigenous Peoples.”
- Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton
“These installations are a powerful visual reminder of the individuals who are still missing and those whose lives have been tragically taken. They underscore the critical need for action to address this ongoing crisis. By creating spaces for reflection across Brampton, we honour those affected and strengthen our shared responsibility to support healing and justice.”
- Rowena Santos, Regional Councillor, Wards 1 & 5; Chair, Community Services Section, City of Brampton
“Red Dress Day calls on all of us to listen, learn and take urgent, meaningful action toward justice, safety and the protection of Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people. It is essential to continue centring Indigenous voices and experiences as we respond to the Calls to Justice, address gender-based violence and work toward a more inclusive and equitable community for all.”
- Councillor Navjit Kaur Brar, City Councillor, Wards 2 & 6, Chair, Corporate Services Section
