BB Lions to Host Fifth Annual Orange Shirt Day Game on Friday, September 26
CFL B.C. Lions

BB Lions to Host Fifth Annual Orange Shirt Day Game on Friday, September 26

Published on September 16, 2025 under Canadian Football League (CFL)
B.C. Lions News Release


(Vancouver) - The BC Lions are proud to honour and respect Canada's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation when we host the Toronto Argonauts next Friday, September 26 at Save-On-Foods Field at BC Place.

Our fifth annual Orange Shirt Day game is presented by Prospera Credit Union, BC Hydro and LiUNA! Local 1611.

This special event is also supported by FortisBC and Leavitt Machinery.

Dating back to 2013, the date of September 30 has been marked as Orange Shirt Day- now a federal statutory holiday- in recognition of survivors of Canada's Indian Residential School System and their families.

"We are once again truly honoured to host the Orange Shirt Day Game for the fifth consecutive year, standing alongside the entire Canadian Football League in recognizing this significant day as well as unveiling a few new special elements" says Jamie Taras, director of community partnerships for the Lions.

"As we continue to build relationships with the Indigenous community, we are excited about partnering with Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week this year as well as hosting a number of indigenous guests from Vancouver Island with the help of BC Ferries."

More details were unveiled at a Tuesday media event:

On the field, players will don special Orange Shirt Day warmup jerseys which will be raffled off in support of the Orange Shirt Society and Indian Residential Schools Survivors' Society (IRSSS).

The club will also present a $20,000 cheque to the Orange Shirt Society and host hundreds of Residential School survivors and their families.

The first 10,000 fans through the gates will receive free Orange t-shirts.

With 'Surviving to Thriving' as this year's theme, we are not only honouring Survivors but also celebrating the resilience of the Indigenous community who have risen above their adversity and now thrive in so many ways.

This has led us to partner with Joleen Mitton, founder of Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week and Supernaturals, for our 2025 Orange Shirt Day Game showcasing the work of Indigenous fashion designers, as well as the world's first all Indigenous modelling agency.

The models will join award- winning Vancouver based First Nations rock band Bitterly Divine for our halftime show, while DJ Oshow and a handful of other talented Indigenous performers provide the pre-game entertainment.

We are also proud to welcome back our Indigenous Marketplace presented by Destination Indigenous, allowing vendors to promote and sell their products throughout the evening on the concourse.

Additional Quotes From Partners:

"We are deeply grateful for the meaningful partnership between the BC lions and the Orange Shirt Society. Together we are creating space for truth, reconciliation and awareness through sport and community. This collaboration is a powerful reminder that when we stand together, Every Child Matters."- Shannon Henderson, COO Orange Shirt Society.

"The Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS) is deeply grateful to the BC Lions for their continued commitment to Survivors and their families through the Orange Shirt Day Game. Thanks to this partnership, Survivors from across the province - now including remote and Vancouver Island communities - can come together, connect, and share in this special event.

The game not only honours Survivors, but also raises funds, awareness, and builds community through sport, which has always been an important part of First Nations culture. We are proud to stand with the BC Lions in this work of remembrance, reconciliation, hope, and healing. Go Lions!"-Angela White, executive director, IRSSS. "A big part of Prospera's commitment to Indigenous communities and reconciliation journey is our longstanding partnership with the BC Lions. For a fourth straight year, we're a proud sponsor of the BC Lions' Indigenous Youth Football program, as well as the Orange Shirt Day Game in honour of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Our employee volunteers are looking forward to handing out this year's Indigenous-inspired BC Lions t-shirts to the first 10,000 fans entering BC Place on September 26." - Kirsten McElgunn, chief product and strategy officer, Prospera Credit Union.

"BC Hydro is deeply committed to reconciliation and to strengthening relationships with First Nations and Indigenous communities across the province.

We are honoured to once again partner with the BC Lions for the Orange Shirt Day Game as we mark the 2025 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation."- Charlotte Mitha, president and CEO of BC Hydro.

"As a union, we believe in using our power to bring about positive change - not just for our members but for all people, including Indigenous Peoples. Our partnership with the BC Lions' Orange Shirt Day Game is an example of how we are committed to the ongoing process of truth and reconciliation through solidarity and the rallying power of sport." - Nav Malhotra, business manager/secretary-treasurer of LiUNA Local 1611, Official Union of the BC Lions.

"Orange Shirt Day is an important reminder of the devastating impacts that residential schools and the Sixties Scoop had and continue to have on Indigenous communities-and Indigenous children in particular.

We have learned from Indigenous mentors and friends about the healing power of sport, so it's meaningful to partner with the BC Lions to amplify the message that Every Child Matters."- Janet Devaney senior manager of community and Indigenous initiatives at FortisBC.

"Leavitt Machinery is proud to support the BC Lions' Orange Shirt Day event. Now in our fourth year of involvement, we remain committed to raising awareness around the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This initiative continues to inspire important conversations and meaningful reflection across the province, and we are honored to stand alongside our community in fostering understanding, compassion, and positive change." -John Mutis, executive VP and COO, Leavitt Machinery.

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