Learn about the Indian Residential Schools (Gottfriedson) Day Scholars settlement agreement for the Survivor and Descendant classes.
The claims process for the Indian Residential Schools (Gottfriedson) Day Scholars settlement is now open. Applications can be submitted until October 4, 2023. For more information on how to apply for compensation, please contact the claims administrator, Deloitte at:
Those affected by the harms associated with their attendance at an Indian Residential School as a day scholar, or the ongoing process, can access emotional and crisis intervention services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the toll-free:
The key elements of the Indian Residential Schools (Gottfriedson) Day Scholars settlement agreement for the Survivor and Descendant classes are:
The settlement agreement includes $10,000 in individual compensation for all persons who attended an Indian Residential School as a day scholar during the day, but did not sleep there overnight. A list of Indian Residential Schools included in this settlement is found in Schedule E of the agreement.
The claims process is managed by a third-party administrator, Deloitte. For comprehensive information on the settlement and claims process, class members should contact Deloitte at:
A claim can be made:
Completed paper claim forms can be mailed, faxed, or emailed to the claims administrator.
The claims process for day scholars applying on their own behalf, and those applying for a day scholar who died on or after May 30, 2005 are different.
To avoid unnecessary delays in processing a claim, the Government of Canada reminds class members to carefully review their claim forms to ensure they are complete prior to submitting them to the claims administrator.
For day scholars who died on or after May 30, 2005, there is a different form, the Estate claim form.
Family members are not eligible to receive direct compensation. However, a class member's estate executor, administrator, trustee, liquidator or if none is appointed, the highest priority living heir, can make a claim on behalf of someone who died on or after May 30, 2005, or on behalf of someone who has been determined to be incapable of managing their own legal or financial affairs.
Consult the Day scholars estates guide to find out who can submit a claim and how to complete the form. All claim forms must be submitted to the claims administrator by October 4, 2023.
The settlement includes $50 million toward the creation of the Day Scholars Revitalization Society, an Indigenous-led organization to support healing, wellness, education, language, culture, heritage and commemoration for the benefit of the Survivor and Descendant classes. The funds will be administered by a not-for-profit organization that is independent of Canada.
The Day Scholars Revitalization Society is currently being established.
Day scholars are people who attended an Indian Residential School during the day, but did not sleep there at night. While Day Scholars were eligible for compensation for serious physical and sexual abuse suffered at an Indian Residential School through the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement Independent Assessment Process , they were not eligible for the Common Experience Payment as they did not reside at an Indian Residential School. The Indian Residential Schools (Gottfriedson) Day Scholars settlement agreement ensures that Day Scholars receive compensation for the harms and experiences they suffered while attending an Indian Residential School.
On June 9, 2021, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett, together with representative plaintiffs, announced a proposed settlement agreement to resolve the national Indian Residential Schools (Gottfriedson) Day Scholars class action outside of the courts and toward a lasting and meaningful resolution for tens of thousands of day scholars who attended an Indian Residential School during the day, but did not sleep there at night.
The Federal Court approved the settlement agreement for the Survivor and Descendant classes on September 24, 2021.
Class members who have questions about the settlement agreement, a rejected claim or the class action in general can contact class counsel (the lawyers appointed by the court to provided legal services to class members, at no cost) toll-free at 1-888-222-6845 or by email at dayscholars@waddellphillips.ca.
Class members who have questions about the claim form or want a paper copy of the claim form can contact the claims administrator (Deloitte) toll-free at 1-877-877-5786 or by email at dayscholarsclaims@deloitte.ca.
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