In May, the remains of 215 children were found at a boarding school for indigenous peoples in Canada.
The school was run by the Catholic Church and was part of the then school system in Canada where children were separated from their families against their will.
In 1996, the last school was closed and thus the old school system in the country was also abolished.
Despite repeated pressure from Canadians, the pope has made no formal apology for the church's role in the abuses.
But on Wednesday, the Vatican announces that Pope Francis will visit Canada to seek reconciliation with the indigenous people, writes the BBC.
"His holiness has shown that he is willing to visit the country, dates will be set in due course," the Vatican wrote in the statement.
"Someone must be prosecuted for the crime"
RoseAnn Archibald, head of the congregation of First Nations, the largest indigenous group in Canada, welcomes the pope's visit to "give a long-awaited apology."
- I continue to ask the Catholic Church that they should be held accountable for their role in the forced assimilation and genocide of our children, families and nations.
Someone must be prosecuted for the crime, says RoseAnn Archibald.
Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party, tells CBC News that an apology is not enough.
He believes that the survivors should be offered compensation and the church should also release the registers of the school.
"Everyone with authority knew"
Tk'emlups te Secwepemc, one of the largest groups of indigenous peoples in British Columbia, described in a 2015 report on the failure of care and safety for children.
“Government, church and school employees were well aware of these failures and their impact on students' health.
"If the question is, who knew what when?"
is the answer: 'Everyone with authority throughout the history of the system', "they write in the report.