Peel Regional Police (PRP) are appealing for victims and witnesses to come forward as investigators probe allegations of child abuse tied to Robert Land Academy, a now‑closed private military‑style boarding school for boys that operated in the Niagara Region for nearly five decades.The force’s Special Victims Unit confirmed Monday that it has launched an investigation into years of alleged historical abuse, which was located in West Lincoln, Ont., and ran from 1978 until its closure in 2025. Police did not detail the nature of the allegations but said they are seeking information from anyone who attended or worked at the academy and may have experienced or witnessed abuse.The appeal marks the latest development in an expanded effort to examine the school’s history following years of allegations from former students and staff who say the institution fostered a culture of physical, emotional and psychological harm.Robert Land Academy shut down last year citing financial losses and bankruptcy. Multiple lawsuits remain active against the school, alleging physical and emotional abuse. The academy has denied all allegations.Allegations from former students and staff have mountedConcerns about Robert Land Academy intensified publicly last fall, when former students and staff — supported by Ontario NDP MPP Chandra Pasma — called on the provincial government to strengthen oversight of private schools. Survivors described the academy as an environment where boys were forcibly confined, cut off from the outside world and routinely subjected to physical punishment by adults in positions of authority.In an October 2025 news conference, survivors said the Ontario school’s practices represented a systemic failure that left generations of students vulnerable. They urged the province to mandate criminal record checks for private‑school teachers, require all educators to register with the Ontario College of Teachers, conduct regular health and safety inspections, and establish an Ombudsman to handle complaints from private‑school families.One former student, Jarett Holmes, said the academy’s isolation and disciplinary practices left lasting trauma. He cited 109 known early deaths among alumni, with a median age of 35, many linked to suicide or overdose. “Robert Land Academy forcibly confined boys in their Niagara facility for 48 years,” Holmes said in 2025. “They routinely physically assaulted us, but worse, they completely severed our connection to the outside world.”Survivors like Holmes have pushed for accountability from police, saying the Niagara Regional Police Service only opened a criminal investigation after repeated demands. Former staff members have echoed those concerns. Jon Krys, who served as a staff sergeant at the academy, said he witnessed “relentless emotional, psychological and physical abuse” and believes both the school and provincial authorities failed to protect vulnerable children.Peel Regional Police did not say what prompted their involvement or whether the investigation is connected to other police services’ examination of the school’s history.