On March 12, 2019, Plaintiffs in the McLean case announced the Settlement of a nation-wide class action lawsuit against Canada brought to compensate survivors for harms they suffered while attending federally operated Indian Day Schools. The Settlement includes all survivors who attended federally-run Indian Day Schools, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

The Settlement followed two years of focused engagement with thousands of Indian Day School Survivors and community members, as well as Indigenous leaders across Canada. Importantly, the Indian Day School Settlement was designed to avoid the re-traumatization of class members that was often seen in the Indian Residential School Settlement.

The March announcement marked the beginning of a 60-day “notice period”, during which survivors across Canada could learn about the Settlement and raise questions leading up to the Settlement Approval Hearings, scheduled for May. Class Counsel visited and spoke with survivors, Indigenous communities, and leaders across the country to receive their input on the Settlement.  

The Federal Court approved the Settlement on August 19, 2019, allowing Survivor Class Members to submit claims for compensation over a two and half (2.5) year period, from January 13, 2020 to July 13, 2022.   

Class members who were unable to submit a Claim by July 13, 2022 were given a six-month extension to submit a Claim with an Extension Request Form, by January 13, 2023. The Claims period is now closed and the Claims Administrator is no longer accepting Claim Forms.