Settlement Agreement Reached Covering Last Class of Gottfriedson Indian Residential School Day Scholars Class Action

Ottawa has reached a settlement agreement covering the last of three groups included in the Gottfriedson Indian Residential School Day Scholars Class Action.

Initially filed in 2012, the suit looked to compensate those who attended residential schools during the day, but did not stay overnight.

In 2021, the parties reached a settlement covering the Survivor and Descendant classes, but agreed to litigate the Band class separately.

That settlement saw each Day Scholar who attended a Federally-operated Schedule E school become eligible for $10,000 in compensation.

Survivor class members have until October 4th of this year to apply for compensation, with more information at this link.

Now, a new agreement has been reached covering the 325 Bands which opted into the Band Class litigation.

Under the agreement, Canada will place $2.8 billion in a trust to support healing, wellness, education, heritage, language, and commemoration activities.

A permanent board, made up of nine Indigenous directors, will distribute the funds, based on four pillars agreed to by the parties.

Those pillars include: revival and protection of Indigenous languages and cultures, promotion and protection of heritage, and wellness.