A “horrific and shocking discovery” has been made in Saskatchewan by Cowessess First Nation.

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) has announced that Cowessess First Nation has located hundreds of unmarked graves at the site of the former Marieval Indian Residential School.

The FSIN stated in a release on Wednesday that “the number of unmarked graves will be the most significantly substantial to date in Canada.”

Officials say the community and school site are currently closed to the public due to COVID-19 public safety measures in place.

An official announcement and more details will be provided Thursday morning  by Cowessess First Nation and the FSIN.

The Marieval Indian Residential School was operational from 1898 to 1996. It was located about 24 kilometres north of Broadview.