Indian Hospitals Class Action

We are pleased to announce that the Federal Court has approved the Settlement Agreement in this action. A copy of the Federal Court’s reasons for approving the Settlement can be viewed here . The approved Settlement Agreement can be viewed here .

The Claims Period is now open, and eligible class members have until July 27, 2028 to submit a Claim directly to the Claims Administrator. The Claim Form and a step-by-step Claim Guide are available on the administrator’s website at: https://ihsettlement.ca/ .

Only Primary Class Members who suffered psychological, verbal, physical and/or sexual abuse while admitted to a Federal Indian Hospital during the period it was operated by the Government of Canada, are eligible for individual compensation from the Settlement. Primary Class Members who passed away on or after January 25, 2016, may be eligible through the Estates process.

Should you have any questions, please review the Administrator’s FAQ here or contact the Administrator at 1-888-592-9101 or GeneralInfo@Contact.IHSettlement.ca , or by mail at PO Box 5493, STN Main, Newmarket, ON L3Y 0J4.

For all other inquiries, you may also contact Class Counsel at the contact information listed under the Contacts section available here . There is no cost for speaking with Class Counsel about the class action or the Settlement.

The following information about the settlement refers to sensitive issues, including physical and sexual abuse, which individuals may find triggering and traumatic. If you or someone you are assisting experiences symptoms of trauma and/or needs to speak to someone, support is available:

• Hope for Wellness Helpline: 1-855-242-3310 or www.hopeforwellness.ca
• Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program
• Federal Indian Day Schools Health and Cultural Support Program
• Mental health counselling benefits under the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program
• Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Crisis Line: 1-844-413-6649
• Talk 4 Healing support for Indigenous women: 1-855-554-4325 or Talk4Healing Website
• Find your local Friendship Centre

The Settlement will provide compensation to eligible Class Members who suffered abuse at a Federal Indian Hospital, including psychological, verbal, physical and/or sexual abuse. Compensation will be awarded according to the Compensation Grid and will range from $10,000 CAD to $200,000 CAD based on the severity of abuse.

The Settlement also includes the establishment of a Foundation, which will administer:

• A Healing Fund that will provide $150,000,000 CAD to support healing, wellness, reconciliation, protection of languages, education and commemoration activities; and
• A Research and Commemoration Fund that will provide $235,500,000 CAD to support research and education regarding Federal Indian Hospitals, the preservation of their history, and the location of burial sites associated with the Hospitals.

The Settlement will require that the Foundation which will administer $385.5 million in total funds be guided by a plan developed through a structured process of engagement with Indigenous stakeholders, including Class Members and Indigenous communities. The Foundation’s activities will reflect the actual interests and priorities of affected communities.

The Settlement also provides for a $150,000,000 CAD funding increase to Indigenous Services Canada, under existing programming, to support Class Members’ health and wellness throughout the implementation of the Settlement Agreement.

The Federal Court issued its decision to approve the Settlement Agreement on June 24, 2025. You can find a copy of the Settlement Agreement and its Schedules under the Documents section below and on the Federal Indian Hospitals Class Action website .

This class action was certified on January 22, 2020. A settlement has now been reached.

The classes are defined as follows: