Sir John A. Macdonald statue in Baden moved into storage

The Sir John A. Macdonald statue in Baden has been moved into storage.

The move comes after a group on Facebook dedicated to the statue's removal and its supports toldthe Township of Wilmot council it needed to go because it commemorates an individual who isresponsible for Canada's racist policies against First Nations people.

"We're very ecstatic to see the statue was removed today," Cheyanne Thorpe of Collective for Decolonization said, adding that there were many supporters and individuals who were responsible for moving the effort forward.

The statue was part of a prime ministers path project that is slowly adding statues to a green space beside the township offices. Council voted last month to halt the project until there's more community consultation and to remove the Macdonald statue.

The township says staff removed the statue early Thursday morning.

"This is a step forward towards reconciliation and the Township of Wilmot is looking forward to conversations with the Indigenous community," a township release said.

The township is not saying where the statue is being kept, only that it is in a secured storage unit and will remain there until sometime next year.

Township council are expecting a report next March on the future of the statue and the path project.