The Claim Process for the Federal Indian Residential Schools Day Scholars settlement opened on January 4, 2022. The deadline to submit a claim for a $10,000 compensation payment is October 4, 2023.

Who is a Day Scholar?

A Day Scholar is someone who attended a Federal Indian Residential School where some children slept there overnight, but he/she/they did not. If an eligible Day Scholar died on or after May 30, 2005, a claim may be submitted on their behalf by their estate Executor, Administrator, Trustee, Liquidator, or, if none exists, the highest priority living heir.

There are two types of Class Members in the settlement: the Survivor Class and the Descendant Class. Only Survivor Class Members are eligible for the $10,000 compensation payment.

Survivor Class

You are a member of the Survivor Class if you attended a Federal Indian Residential School as a student during the day only but did not sleep there overnight.

It’s important to understand if you are eligible before submitting a claim.

To be eligible, the Day Scholar must have attended one of the schools listed on the Schedule E Indian Residential Schools List during the dates provided. Providing years of attendance outside Schedule E eligibility dates automatically makes the application ineligible.

Before submitting a claim form, check the list at http://www.justicefordayscholars.com/schools-lists/ and answer a few questions:

  • First, did you attend one of the schools on the Schedule E list?
  • Second, if your school is on the list, did you attend during the dates provided on the list?
  • Third, if you are filing for a loved one who passed away, did they die on or after May 30, 2005, and are you a representative of the estate (Executor/Administrator/Trustee/Liquidator) or if none is appointed, are you the deceased Day Scholar’s highest priority heir?

If the answers to these questions are “YES” then the Day Scholar may be eligible for compensation and should complete a claim form.

The deadline for submitting a claim for compensation is October 4, 2023.

You can complete your claim form by applying online at www.dayscholarsclaims.com.

If you choose to fill in a paper claim form, copies can be downloaded directly from www.dayscholarsclaims.com.

You can also contact the Claims Administrator (Deloitte) to request a copy be mailed to you at: dayscholarsclaims@deloitte.ca or 1-877-877-5786.

If you have questions about the settlement, you can contact Class Counsel for this settlement at dayscholars@waddellphillips.ca or 1-888-222-6845 (toll-free).

Descendant Class

You are a member of the Descendant Class if you are a natural or adopted child of a Survivor Class Member.

Descendant Class Members (the natural or adopted children of Survivor Class Members) are not eligible for the $10,000 Day Scholar Compensation Payment – that payment is for Survivor Class Members only.

The Day Scholars settlement includes a $50 million Day Scholars Revitalization Fund to support healing, wellness, education, language, culture, heritage and commemoration activities for the benefit of Survivor and Descendant Classes.

Descendant and Survivor Class Members are eligible to apply for funding from the Day Scholars Revitalization Fund. It is not possible to apply for funding yet – the process for applying for funding is currently being established.